Akemi: Save Me
by NobodyKnowsMyName
Summary: Akemi, ageless and bored, decides she will finally pull herself out of her depression by inflicting misery on the students of the Academy. As unwanted memories arise she is finally forced to face them. ZeroXOC One awful summary after another, Sorry guys.
1. Akemi

**AN: I just finished the Vampire Knight animes and love them dearly. If you like it please review. **

**Akemi's POV**

Looking up at the school, it did seem rather big. I was going to have fun here. I was to see the Chairman about getting into the day class. The wind rustled my skirt and the scent of Autumn flowed through my long, silky black hair. My hair reached about an inch past my skirt.

After looking left and then right, I headed into the large gates of the Cross Academy.

**Cross Kaien's POV**

A knock sounded on my door. Who could that be? Zero hadn't been sociable since Yuuki left with Kaname senpai. Also, on that note, Yuuki hadn't planned on visiting for a while either.

"Come in," I said quietly; unsurely.

In stepped an enchanting young girl in a silver tanktop, covered by a loose black cardigan, and a light blue skirt. Her hair was black and seemed soft enough to make a cloud look rough. I looked into her eyes and for a moment couldn't look away. They were black. Pure black against the whites, making the whites almost shine.

"I'm here to see about entering the day class." Her voice was like the peeling of bells.

"The Day Class? Are you sure you aren't getting it mixed up with the Night Class?" She couldn't seriously not be a Vampire, right?

"Honestly, right now I don't care. I don't mean to sound rude but I am dirt tired, and it's getting late. Can I please have a dorm assigned to me and go?"

Apparently she was human if she were tired at this hour. I don't remember her ever applying though. I never remember getting a letter or anything. Maybe she was one of those few that didn't send a picture.

"What's your name, dear?"

"Akemi."

Akemi, Akemi. . . . . . nothing; no files.

"I don't have a room ready for you. I can't seem to find your application anywhere."

Akemi looked confused for a minute, then started digging into her cardigan.

"But, you sent me this." Akemi pulled out a Cross Academy envelope. It was unmistakably from here, with my signiture on the front. Her expression was tensed with worry. Poor girl. I couldn't even act funny around her as I did with my other students to lighten the mood. I sighed.

"Alright. You can have the only Day Class room available, which is Yuuki's old room, on one condition. " Akemi looked at me hopefully. "You become a prefect. The duties are simple and if you need help you can get it from Zero, the other prefect." She smiled, relieved.

"Not a problem, Chairman." I smiled.

"Call me Daddy." She smiled and laughed.

"Sure. Can I have the directions to this room?"

"Oh dear, I'd almost forgotten. Here-" I handed her a box and a sheet of paper, " - is you uniform, directions, and class schedule."

"Arigato (thanks)"

"Not a problem." I waved to her as she exited the room. This girl seemed to have the potential to get Zero out of that unhealthy depression. I only hope I'm right.

**Akemi's POV**

The door in front of me was the door to the room I would be staying at. Another young girl would be staying here, according to the sheet, and I doubt she was awake at this hour. It was an hour before she would be getting up to get ready for class. I quietly opened the door and shut it behind me.

The girl in the bed reminded me of- Stop! Stop right there. I can't think on my past anymore. I won't. I won't.

I hadn't brought anything with me. That wasn't very smart. Oh well, I guess I'll have to go on a 'everything's free shopping spree' later on. Yes, I hadn't brought anything, and that included money.

I laid down in the bed that was now mine and almost immediately succumbed to sleep.

***

I awoke to the sound of an alarm clock. Whoever invented the alarm clock should be dragged into town square and beaten. I sat up and my foul mood immediately vanished. Once I was up, I was a morning person, get me half-asleep and I'm the devil.

I turned to face the eyes I could feel drilling a hole in my face. She was wearing the look all girls looked at me with when they first met me; jelous. The jelousy was only there for a moment before being swept away by a kindness that made her look prettier. That was new, normally the jelousy always stayed under the surface, but with her she just seemed like she was trying to put me at ease.

"You must be new. I'm Wakaba, Sayori." She smiled at me warmly. I would've welcomed hostility. I didn't know how to handle this. I plastered on a smile I was sure would deceive her as it had countless others. Such as the easily charmed Chairman earlier this morning.

"Nice to meet you, Sayori-chan. I'm Akemi." Sayori looked at me strangely for not giving my full name as was custom when introducing yourself.

It was quiet as she pulled on her school uniform. I slowly took mine out of it's box.

"Oh no, black. That is not my color. It seems I'll have to switch to the Night Class."

"Akemi-chan, you can't just change a class because of uniform color." She laughed.

"Why not?" I mused aloud. If I feel like doing something, who's to stop me? Sayori gave me another strange look.

I pulled on the uniform and prefect band as quickly as I could. I was excited so I was hurrying. I had been so bored for so long that I needed a chance to stretch my legs. It was only until I was about to brush my teeth that I saw it was still thirty minutes before we had to leave. I spent ten minutes brushing my teeth. I started fidgetting and Sayori kept laughing at me.

"No need to be nervous. I'm sure you'll be just fine. Akemi-chan, if it gets too bad you can hang out with me, and when you get to do prefect things, you'll have Zero. He probably won't say anything helpful but he won't say anything mean either."

When it was time to go I stayed beside Sayori. We were still ten minutes early to our first class. I went to take my seat at the back.

"Akemi-chan?" It was Sayori's timid voice.

"Yes?"

"We have assigned seats."

"Does anyone sit here?"

"Well no, actually, but I'll have you know it's beside Ze-"

"This is fine, Sayori-chan. You worry too much."

**Zero's POV**

I really didn't feel like going to class today. I'd see the empty seat next to me and be reminded of Yuuki. Of course, Chairman Cross was starting to worry and is now demanding I come to my classes or be transfered to Night Class. That would be like admitting to being a Vampire, and the day I do that is the day I put a bullet through my head.

I walked quietly down the empty halls. Was I really this late? Normally the students would wait outside the room unti Yagari called the class to order. I entered through the back door in an attempt to come in unnoticed. The first thing I did was glance towards the front of the room. No Yagari; then why was everyone-

"Why the hell is everyone blocking my desk?" I said in a detached voice. That always seemed to work. Everyone looked up at me and glared like they did when I was interrupting their time with their precious Night students. Crap! That's what that crowd is for. Is that rat Kaname back?

I pulled out my anti-vampire weapon and help it in the crowd's direction.

"Move." They turned back to glare at me but backed down, some gasped, when they saw my gun. He thought he heard some guy say something like 'Geez, it's just a seat.'

In the middle of the crowd I caught a glimpse of the prefect band. Yuuki. Then the last guy moved and I froze. Who was that? I've never seen her before but I feel like I know her. But it isn't possible, I would have remembered someone that beautiful.

She smiled at me.

"You must be Zero." She said in a voice that completely disarmed you.

"How'd you know?" I tried my best to keep the indifference that I had held on to so desperately even when Yuuki was here in my voice.

"The prefect band." She gestured towards my left arm. I was suddenly intensely aware of all the daggers that were being stared into my back.

Yagari ran in just then.

"Alright everyone, take your seats."

**Huh? How was it? Good, bad, so so? Feel free to Review. (Please)**


	2. Zero

**AN: I forgot to do this earlier. But to be clear I don't own Vampire Knight. I am so good about updating. (Usually)**

**Yagari's POV**

The students got a little quieter when I came in, but they didn't even notice me, except Zero, until I had spoke to them. I sighed and went to the desk. A large, white envelope was on the top of my desk. I opened it carefully. In it was a note in the Chairman's handwriting.

_You have a new student in your class today. Her name is Akemi. The news is coming to you so late because she arrived only this morning. She had no files, but did have the letter we return to those who make it into the school. Sorry to leave you with so little, not even a last name, but like I said; I have no files._

That _is _strange. I was still looking down at the note as I spoke.

"Would the new student introduce herself?" A chair squeeked in the background and I looked up.

"I am Akemi. I came out of nowhere and that is how my story will stay. I like to play with people, and these students will be my toys." A shiver made it's way up my spine. "Nice to meet you all." She smiled and the uncomfortable look on all the students' faces vanished completely. Except for Zero. His face showed the same horror that I felt.

After three minutes of utter silence no one said anything. Normally people would be uncomfortable having caused a scene like this, but Akemi just sat there looking bored. I cleared my throat.

"Alright. Arigato, Akemi. Now I'll start the lesson-" I was cut off mid-sentence.

"Where's my title? Not even Akemi-chan? I don't remember becoming friends with you." She looked at me like a cat playing with a cornered mouse. Normally I would have put a student back in their place for even interrupting me. She unnerved me.

"Gomen(sorry), Akemi-san." A loud 'huff' sound came from her.

"Honestly, Yagari, I was just joking. I thought you would've at least stuck to your guns a moment. Imagine, the famous Yagari, afraid of a simple Day Class student." Akemi got up from her seat and left the room. That same teasing expression on her face.

How'd she know that? Was she a Vampire Hunter? She had to know something if she knew I was famous. All the students started murmering.

"Yagari-sama, you're famous?" A normally quiet girl in the front blurted out. At that the class started to become chaotic and people were asking the weirdest questions. I barely saw Zero slip out the back door.

**Akemi's POV**

That was sort of fun. His face had been the best part. He and the silver haired one, Zero, both had had similar looks of horror on their faces. I nearly laughed out loud.

Turning the corner my breath caught in my throat. I was barely an inch away from hitting some guy in the chest. Annoyed, I looked up to see who it was that still hadn't moved. I looked up into a most interestingly colored pair of eyes. Oh, It was the silver-hair guy. I locked eyes with him. He shivered. Right, I did have creepy eyes. The black sucked you in only to be tortured by the nightmares hidden in every dark corner. And those dark corners are everywhere when you have black eyes.

"It's rude to stare, Zero-kun." I whispered languidly. His eyes were still locked on mine. I was jelous of his eyes. You could see everything in them. "Wow, you're a mess." Zero knit his brow in confusion.

"What?"

"Yeah, you can read it in your eyes as easily as the headlines on newspapers. Something really screwed you up. It shows so much in your eyes I almost feel bad for you."

Zero looked at a loss for words. I smiled at him.

"If we're skipping that awful class, you want to show me around Cross Academy? Come on," I grabbed his hand and started dragging him away from the room.

At some point Zero jerked his hand from mine and walked in front of me. He put his hands in his pockets. I laughed.

"What's wrong, Zero-kun? Are you uncomfortable holding my hand?" That earned a quick backwards glare from Zero.

"No, I just thought that if I were going to show you around I should be the one leading the way."

"Good," I said playfully, taking his hand, "then you won't mind if I hold your hand again."

He sighed, but didn't fight me on it.

**Zero's POV**

I tried not to think about it, when she was holding my hand as I thought it.

'I am Akemi. I came out of nowhere and that is how my story will stay. I like to play with people, and these students will be my toys.' I kept hearing it over and over. Every single one of the students had seemed hypnotized and were fine as soon as she'd smiled. Mere beauty alone wasn't capable of that. What was she? Please don't let her be one of those disgusting purebloods.

We had been walking a long time. Akemi would stop and marvel at the simplest things. We were now walking by the fountain, the sunset not even an hour off.

I heard a scream. Not good. Akemi's delicate hands were no longer in mine either. I turned frantically trying to find her. There; I didn't see _her_ but I saw a contorted body crouched over something, surrounded by broken branches. A level E. You could hear it in it's voice.

"I must have it. Your blood, only your blood. Save me!" It shrieked in a feral voice. I thought a level E would settle for anyone's blood, but apparently they were picky. I pulled out my weapon of choice and aimed at him from the side. I started closing in, ten feet away instead of a hundred. I stopped at what he said next.

"You can save me! Why won't you?! Are you that cruel?!" The level E was crying. I took a closer look at them. Akemi's eyes were dancing in fury, but she was completely unharmed. The level E was bleeding from a huge wound in his stomach.

The blood was getting to me. I could feel my inner level E screaming. I was going to have to leave soon. Akemi seemed to notice my existence for the first time since she had been attacked. My stomach churned as I saw the level E's blood dripping onto Akemi's uniform. She smiled.

"It's alright, Vampire. If the blood is disturbing you, you can leave." Her smile turned unpleasant. My mask couldn't get up quick enough to hide my shock.

"How do you know about Vampires? Are you a hunter?" She must have been. That seemed only reasonable. Akemi frowned, pushing the level E aside. The level E cried out, aparently not dead.

"To answer your first question I would have to speak about my past, and I am not doing that." Akemi looked at me, almost; her eyes were far away, "And your second question, the answer is no. I would've killed you by now." Her consuming black eyes were locked on to mine. "Your eyes are flashing red. You should go."

I nodded.

**Akemi's POV**

I smiled as I watched him go. I felt bad for him because he was so socially akward around me. Like he had shut himself off for a long time and was uncomfortable being in his own skin again.

The level E started groaning.

"My Lady, I meant no disrespect-" He said in that gurgly voice that level E's all seem to share, until I kicked him in the stomach were I had punched through the skin. Thank you, Lady Luck. Zero didn't know I caused this level E's state of near death.

"Shut-up." A spat at him with enough venom to take down an entire army. "I was doing just fine and then you show up and bring back all these-these," I paused, thinking, then with further venom found my word, "_memories_."

The level E shrank back, shielding it's pathetic face. I sighed, then smiled. That only seemed to frighten the creature even more.

" 'Save me,' you said. You could have found a way to ask that that didn't involve attacking me. Baka(idiot, stupid, imbecile, etc.). You were lucky I didn't kill you on the spot."

"Why didn't you?" It asked in that same voice. I sighed.

"That voice of yours is really wearing thin on me. Anyway, I didn't because I am playing a game here. Cross Academy is my new playground, and I can't be frightening off potential playmates. Now, as for the prospect of saving you," the level E had hope in his eyes, "I'm not doing it." I stepped on his neck, snapping it. "I was reminded too much of my memories. It's your own fault."

***

Finding Zero afterwards had been easy. He was at the fountain, which was running a little red because of the blood tablets. I went and sat beside him. He turned his face from me, ashamed.

"So, you're a Vampire?"

"No." He said coldly.

"With the blood tablets, the glowing red eyes, and the way you reacted to the blood, I believe it's so. You're in denial."

"Then I guess it's so," he mumbled quietly.

He started digging in his coat. He pulled out his gun and pointed at me. The barrel facing him.

"Shoot me." He commanded.

"Uhh-I-I" I managed to choke out, "But why?"

"I've always promised myself since becoming a Vampire, that the day I admitted it would be the day I died." He was facing straight ahead. I sighed.

"Pick your poison." I whispered. Zero looked at me quizically. "Do you want to die, or do you want to live as a human?" I heard Zero's eyes rolling. Not literally.

"Of course I'd like to live as a human. But that was taken from me. Wait, 'pick your poison?' " He asked. I sighed again, suddenly feeling very tired.

"Alright. I am going to let you know something no one else shall ever hear from your lips. Tonight, when you aren't doing any prefect duties, go to a club in town." I was interrupted by a sound like disbelief from Zero, "Here you will find someone else to tell you of my, some of my, past. I don't want to be there when you are told." I looked at my hands in shame. He wouldn't be very happy when he found out.

I nearly jumped when I found that Zero was brushing my hair back to put it behind my ear. He left his hand there a moment and I just stared at him in shock. I guess I better enjoy it now, while he can still stand to touch me.

"Now, how can I find this place?" Zero said so gently I shivered.

"It's very uniquely marked. It's in the back alley behind the huge clock tower; it's marked in blood." I looked up into his eyes, for the hands on my face had grown cold. Zero was guarded, but it did no good with his transparent eyes. "You don't have to go! I mean, I think I can bear to tell you myself but-" I was silenced.

Zero's mouth was warm and reassuring. I was completely caught of gaurd; had I not just met him today? I was disappointed when the kiss ended. The silence stretched on, and Zero looked mortified.

"I'm so sorry. You just remind me of a girl I knew." He whispered. In those lavender eyes I could see that he had loved this girl. 'Loved,' past tense, being key here. She had apparently left him here; the fool! I felt the surprise show on my face at the fury I was feeling inside me. I smiled softly. It wasn't a very nice emotion, but at least I was _feeling _again.

"The club has no name and it's filled with Vampires. None of them quite as fancy as modern day nobility in the Vampire world, but all a million times more dangerous. They are Ancients, mixed in with the filth of those level Es who come there to hide from the Hunters. These Ancients will explain everything to you once you find them. Which will be easy; you'll see what I mean when you go there. Ans don't attack any level Es, that will arouse suspicion, and the Ancients will kill you.

"At the beginning, when you get there, they will not answer. Knock once, pause, then knock twice, then he will ask you a question. Your answer to this question will be, ' I have come from the coldest place on Earth and seen the one who will never see the light again.' You must get this exactly right or they will kill you on the spot. Just to be sure, I want you to repeat it back to me."

Zero looked irratated.

"Why would I say something so stupid?" Zero looked as if he was going to go on for a while about the sayings stupidity but stopped when he saw my face. He let out a big 'huff' sound. "I have come from the coldest place on Earth and have seen the one who will never again see the light."

**Zero's POV**

She hit me and it stung like hell.

"What was that for?" I complained, rubbing my face.

"You got it wrong," she said in a calm voice, "Try again."

"Wasn't it 'I have come from the coldest place on Earth and seen the one who will never see the light again?' " I braced for another slap.

"Good. We need to go for the Night Class thing now." She got up. Great, off to see the 'wonderful' Night Class.

I let myself lag behind her a bit, thinking.

"Come on, you're so slow the slugs are passing you." She said jokingly.

"Ow, my pride." I said, joking back.

The huge group of Day Class girls and guys was even larger and more chaotic than usual. I was getting ready to tell them to get back in line when Akemi spoke up.

"Get in line." Akemi said in an absolutely commanding voice. I was thinking that that would never work when everyone filed in line. They didn't even seem unhappy, like they were aching to please her. All the girls were asking for her opinion on something, all the guys were trying twice as hard just to get her to look their way.

The gates creaked open and the first Vampire, Aidou Hanabusa, came out, followed by Kain Akatsuki, Ruka Souen, Takuma Ichijou, Senri Shiki, and Rima Touya. The Moon Class girls seemed slightly agitated that their cheering section was not cheering. Aidou was waving and smiling like he normally did, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Akemi. Him being at the front and stopping made everyone else stop. All the guys were staring in a kind of open-mouthed stare that made me want to hit them.

Aidou had the audacity to come over and take Akemi's hand, turning her to face him for she had just been talking to one of Aidou's roaring fan girls. She gave him a blank stare of shock. He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. The Vampires looked on at him in horror, and the guys also in jelousy. I was one of those guys. Akemi watched him with a blank look still on her face.

As soon as he put her hand down he looked up at her with that stupid cocky smile. Akemi raised her hand and examined it, then, with surprising fierceness, hit him with that very hand. Aidou's fanclub gasped, and then everything was silent.

"Why you. . ." Aidou started but didn't finish. That same teasing smile played on the corner of Akemi's lips.

"Go on finish it. What exactly am I, Aidou-kun?"

"Why you-" He began again, but before he could finish I hit him.

"Get up. I'm not done with you yet," I said coldly. I yanked him into a standing position then hit him again. The Vampires looked too horrified to move and the students were just as horrified as the Vampires. In the end it was Akemi who spoke.

"Enough. I can put up with a lot, but beating a man senseless while he's unconscious just goes against my moral code," she sighed, "All I did was slap him though. He's the one that was going to carry it a bit too far. Oh well. Anyway, Night Class, we're here to offer you transport and that isn't going to work if you don't walk. It seems you'll have to carry Aidou-kun though," she frowned down at him.

Ruka came over to pick up Aidou, assissted by Ichijou. Ruka turned to glare at Akemi with hatred. Akemi laughed at her. Ruka handed Aidou over to Ichijou, right as Akemi tugged at her wrist. Akemi pulled Ruka over beside her to whisper something in her ear. Ruka's eyes widened then narrowed. And with that the Vampires left.

As soon as they left the students acted like nothing had happend and began crowding Akemi again. I pulled a girl over to the side, though I didn't really know who she was. I needed to know this.

"Why isn't everyone going ballistic over the fight?" I asked. The girl seemed genuinely confused.

"What fight? There was a fight?" Her eyes seemed concerned. She really wasn't lying.

"Nothing, never mind what I said."

I started leaving just as I heard Akemi yell out, "Everybody, back to your dorms." And with that beginners luck they listened to her. I had been hoping for alone time with her, but with the huge group of guys around her I was starting to think that impossible, until Akemi found a way to get rid of them.

"Boys, I'm sorry, truly, but I have to take care of gaurdian business with the other prefect. And you can't really be around for it by policy. I'm really sorry, but at least I'll see you in class tomorrow." She was a fabulous actress, for as soon as they'd turned the corner she'd sighed in relief.

"Zero?" Akemi whispered.

"Yes?"

"I have a request." What could she possibly want from me?

"And what is that?"

"Will you kiss me?" Well, that threw me for a loop.

"Why?" This made Akemi blush in embarassment.

"I'm sorry. I guess you don't want to kiss me. It's my fault. I just wanted one more kiss while I was sure you could stand me." I put my hands on her shoulders and pulled her close. Running one of my hands through her glossy hair. She leaned her head on my shoulder.

"What exactly are you?" I mused aloud. Not that it mattered anymore. She could become a filthy pureblood and I would still love her. Akemi burried her face deeper into my chest and spoke.

"I'm not like the Night Class students, but I'm certainly not as good as the Day Class students."

"Of course you're not as good as them," I began. I could feel wetness on the shirt of my uniform and my face softened, "You're better."

I cupped her teary-eyed face in my hands and bent down to kiss her. Salty tears started pouring down Akemi's face.

"Why? Why are you so nice to me? And when did I become such a crybaby?" she asked, wiping at her eyes. And for a moment, I just held her.

It was perfect. The sunset was beautiful, and this moment came as if on cue. I'd never really kissed anyone before, not even Yuuki, but I had kissed this girl twice in one day. Did she really mean so much to me already? She had endeared herself to me through her occasional kind smiles, and her large black eyes that held so much pain, and her easy-going views on everything.

Someone cleared their throat. I looked back in annoyance. Akemi was slowly pulling away from me to see who it was. It was Ruka.

"Akemi-san, may I have a word with you?" Ruka asked in a falsly calm voice. There was anger boiling just beneath the surface.

"Of course, Ruka-chan!" Akemi said cheerily, but there was an underlying menace about her face. That was something so unlike Yuuki I barely knew how to react. Akemi went to stand beside Ruka, who started walking farther away from me when Akemi reached her.

I was going to have to go to that club tonight. I needed to know what made Akemi who she was.

**Ruka's POV**

Akemi was staring ahead silently. She gave me chills. That pleasant expression had disappeared as soon as she'd looked away from Zero. And what she'd said earlier.

_You're not as safe as nobility as you think you are, Ruka Souen. Keep that in mind._

Remembering this and the look on her face, like she knew exactly who I was, like she could see through me.

"Ruka-san, if you have something to say, say it now. I have little patience for this." she said in a disgustingly rational voice. I lost my temper. This idiot was alone with Vampire nobility! And she _knew_ it, knew all the awful things I could do if I wanted to! Yet she stood there so calmly, her eyes burning with black flames.

"Don't you know who I am?!" I screamed in irratation.

"Of course I do. _You're_ Ruka Souen, Vampire 'nobility.' But don't you know who you think you are?" she said in that same freaky calm.

"I don't _think_ I'm a noble, I am." I told Akemi in defiance.

"Well I suppose by today's standards you _are _a royal. But in my eyes you and that Aidou-filth are nothing." What was she talking about? How dare she?

"You-" I said, then broke off and attacked her with my power. Mind control.

I started to enter her mind, probing at her amazingly thick shield. Not thick enough. I broke through and felt nothing but a hatred so intense I screamed. It flowed through her mind like black clouds of poison. I couldn't even hear anything like I normally did, she was keeping everything secret from me. I was starting to think she let me through on purpose.

_Huh, I almost don't want to let you leave my mind, seeing how much pain my hate is causing you. This is only the tip of my mind, you know. Oh well, your screaming is going to cause unwanted attention. Get out. Oh, and don't tell anyone about this, unless you want to die._

And with that I was violently pushed from her mind. I was laying on the sidewalk, facing up at the orange-pink sky. My hair was stuck to my face in cold sweat. Akemi was leaning against the walls of the school, not even a foot away from me, smiling. How could she look so serene, like I didn't affect her mind at all.

"What you were thinking was right. I let you pass my shield on purpose. I made it as thin as possible and yet you still barely passed it. Like I said, you are nothing." Akemi still had that face of blank calm. She stood up and then leaned over me, offering her hand. I took it. She smiled at me, and I smiled back. Whoever she was, she had guts.

Come to think of it, I guess she really wasn't the one who had attacked Aidou, that was Zero. That boy just seems intent on making me hate him more and more. I had a newfound respect in this girl, whether or not it's just fear I'm not sure. It didn't feel like fear.

Besides, I think that that something she was hiding when I entered her mind was pain. I felt something awful beneath the surface of that hate, something so painful that just thinking about it made tears well up in my eyes. When Akemi had said, 'This is only the tip of my mind,' I'd been sure. She hadn't been lying, but what was under that tip wasn't hatred, but unfathomable pain.

**Zero's POV**

This alley was as run down as run down could get, and as I walked it got darker and darker. The purple from the sky was fading to blue, then navy, then to black. As much as I looked all the broken, barred, and eroded doors were lacking in blood markings.

Just as I was about to give up I saw the door. It looked like the door of a bankrupt bar, except smeared with fresh blood. The monster inside of me was banking at the edges of my brain, looking for a way out. I gritted my teeth. I walked up to the door and there was no sound, as Akemi had promised. I did the special knock that was supposed to get me into this mad house. There was a sound like glass breaking and then there was a hissing voice at the door.

"Who has sent you here that makes you worthy of entry?" the voice leered. Couldn't I just answer Akemi? I was about to when Akemi's voice flashed into my head. _You must get this exactly right or they will kill you on the spot._

" ' I have come from the coldest place on Earth and seen the one who will never see the light again.' "

It was silent. For a moment I was afraid I had gotten it wrong. The door clicked and a man with ancient eyes opened the door. The eyes were ice blue and held such a long, lonely eternity in them.

"It's been a long time since Akemi's sent anyone. Come with me," the young-old man said in a voice completely unlike that of the hiss I had heard at the door.

He pulled me to a table towards the back, asking me not to look around to much. I didn't understand but listened. He pulled me into a back room, in surprisingly good condition compared to everything else. There was a long wooden table with two chairs opposite each other on the long ends. He motioned me to sit.

"You must be very special for Akemi to have sent you. Listen child, and listen well. Akemi only sends people for one reason. So let's start with what you already know, which is what?" The man motioned towards me, giving me the floor.

"You're an Ancient, a type of Vampire stronger than the Purebloods. I know everything Purebloods would know I would imagine."

The man sighed.

"I see I have much to tell you."

**AN: I found a very good website to look up to see what all the honorifics mean. Such as Akemi's left out title. Here it is if you want to check it out: /wiki/Japanese_honorifics**

**Please review.**


	3. Who is she?

**AN: Thank you to all those who reviewed. My reviewers keep me updating. Also, I see, reading back over my writing, I have made some grammatical errors. Please don't leave reviews on them. Most likely, if I've read it twice, I noticed it. But I don't really want to fix them and upload again. I don't have the patience for it really. Legal: I don't own Vampire Knight.**

**Zero's POV**

The man took a seat on the other end of the table. He was staring at me.

"What?" I asked, making sure I wasn't doing anything to offend this creepy Vampire.

"Nothing, it's just that- Are you a Pureblood?" he looked at me in distaste.

"No! Why on Earth would you think that?" I was almost shouting in panic. How could he try and confuse me with the thing I hated most?

"Nothing. You just smell like them. You know in Vampire world, one of the greatest sins is biting a Pureblood." He was looking at me intently.

"Yeah, I know. It was offered to me, by my worst enemy. It was for his own gain though." I said numbly.

"Yes, I know all about that story. The Yuuki-san and Kaname-san problem. I asked becuase I wanted to know that if I ever needed to ask you something, you would tell the truth. I understand that that must have been something very difficult for you to tell me. Now, I will begin her story."

***

"I knew Akemi-sama when she was a regular human; bright green eyes always shining." Bright green? "She was the kindest young lady for miles around and was happy being the woman of the house. She took care of her younger sister, while her father was out ruling the town. Yes, ruling. Akemi-sama's mother had died during her birth. Her father believed her a demon and hated her when he wasn't being so detatched from the world.

"I had been her best friend that she would confide in, and when she came to me with bruises, asking me to 'watch over her sister until father calmed down,' I nearly cracked. I hated her father, but he was so high in power I was afraid I couldn't do anything at the time. Akemi-sama's younger sister, Mitzuki-san, ended up staying with my family for half her life.

"Akemi-sama's father wanted her out of his home as soon as he could. So he started offering her to suitors. Unfortunately, her father chose a not-so-great man.

"That day that he put the Curse on her, she had come to me. She had more bruises than usual and had tears in her eyes when she brought Mitzuki-san over. I had tried to stop her from going back, but she had shrugged me off coldly. Her coldness shocked me. She was never cold towards anyone, let alone me. And so I watched her go. I just let her go. . ." The man's eyes grew distant and his fists clenched.

"When she came back her eyes were black and bleak. Her mouth was stained in a red that looked like it had been washed out with extreme care. 'What happend?' I had asked. And then she told me.

"Her husband had given her the Curse. It was a ritual in which he died trying to give the proper punishment to 'the demon.' Although it kind of back-fired when she gained unimaginable power and it made her a true Pureblood Vampire. Not the type of 'Pureblood' Kaname-san or Yuuki-san are."

I gripped the edge of my seat. A true Pureblood Vampire. Of course _that _is what the girl I loved would be.

"Kaname-san and Yuuki-san are not truly Purebloods. You'll see that as I go on." The man said, looking me in the eyes now.

"Almost exactly after being cursed she told me she'd come for _me_. She knew exactly what she was and wanted at least two people to spend her life with. That she chose me was an absolute honor. You know how touching a 'Pureblood' is highly frowned upon. Even looking at Akemi-sama is very close to forbidden."

I suppose Aidou and Ruka would absolutely have a heart attack if they knew. The way Purebloods normally react, and with Akemi having even more right, I'm surprised she didn't kill him.

"Being changed by her was painless. She didn't even bite me. She cut her wrist," we both winced, " and then commanded me to drink her blood. You can imagine how revolted I was. My best friend. . . wanted me to drink her blood. I almost didn't until I saw the lonliness in her watery eyes. Her blood is magic. With it you can live forever, heal disease, or whatever else she could will it to do when you drank it. It comes at a price though. You are forever her slave. I am still indebted to her.

"Anyway, sorry I keep getting so off topic. And when she went to change her sister, she wasn't in the house. Akemi-sama panicked. You see, Akemi-sama only really loved one person in her life, and that person was her sister. Akemi-sama surprised me with her violence at having lost her sister, always blaming herself, not me, in that fit of rage. Then a terrifying calm swept over her. 'Father's house.' she had said emotionlessly.

"It seemed to take forever to get to her home a short walk away with that appalling calm. When we got there, there was Mitzuki-san, dead. Her father looked down at us from his throne; condescending. 'I thought I would kill her before you did it yourself, demon! I did it to save her. It was poison, it was painless! Don't look down upon me devil!' the whole time ranting how he was so much better. Akemi-sama just stared at the tiny Mitzuki-san's body.

"Then you could almost hear Akemi-sama snap. The calm disappeared and was filled in with a bubbling hate. And then she smiled. Not Akemi-sama's smile. She rarely smiled and when she did you felt like you were being blessed for something done good. This smile chilled me to the bone. Her voice still held the dreadful calm from earlier.

" 'Alright, father. I will leave you here. But you will be haunted by what you have done, and I'll make sure everyone here knows you were the one to murder your own children. You're poor Akemi beaten to death, and little Mitzuki poisoned. You will live, but not in peace.' And he didn't live in peace. I made sure of that.

"And then she walked over to pick up her little sister and left. It took me a moment to realize why Akemi-sama had taken Mitzuki-san's body. We were giving her a proper funeral. Akemi-sama dug the hole, not saying anything the entire time. I would've offered to help if she didn't seem so frail. I think that if I had made a sound, she would have ripped me to shreds.

"At the moment when we were supposed to say our parting words Akemi-sama looked at me. 'Say something,' she commanded. I couldn't have refused her this, not then. My words were unimportant compared with Akemi-sama's.

" 'You were my reason for living. When father hit me all I'd ever think was to help you. He takes and takes and now he's taken what I hold dearest.' Her voice choked and she started sobbing. My heart broke for her. She almost never cries anymore. I didn't think at the time she could have anymore tears left. It took her two days to fully quit crying. After that her smile returned, but it wasn't real, and half the time it wasn't even nice. Have you noticed how she smiles all the time now?"

I nodded. I didn't know whether they were real or not.

"About a week later she had made five other Vampires. One of those Vampires wanted her power, so he tried to drink her blood, and with that strange detachtment she easily killed him. Later, after I and the other five had learned to make new Vampires, we had discovered that, after each time we made a new Vampire the power was halved until the weakest Vampire was two percent of Akemi-sama's power. I am half as powerful as Akemi-sama. At least as she was then. I'm afraid that her power may still be growing. Or our's weakening." His eyes became distant again. It was silent for a couple minutes.

"Go on," I tried to say it respectfully.

"Ah, yes. Then these five Vampires made seventeen more. These seventeen found out that they could reproduce betweenst themselves. Thus, the first 'Purebloods.' They came up with that name. I had scoffed at them. Were they not living on just drops of Akemi-sama's blood? They were foolish enough to believe themselves as good as Akemi-sama. When they talked to Akemi-sama as if they could over-throw her, she had laughed.

" 'You think you are so great on your own? Then I shall take back what I have given to you.' she said. She went and bit them each for about a second. They looked at her with disbelief before leaving. 'What was that about?' I had asked her. She looked down at me, that fake smile on her face. I wouldn't have known it fake if I hadn't seen her before; she's very deceptive. 'I took only my blood back. They are mortal now.'

"She hadn't lied. Those seventeen were dead within fifty years, but their offspring survived, sporting about twelve percent of Akemi-sama's power. Those first children had had their parent's power sliced in half like it did with made Vampires. These children produced children with an estimated twelve percent, not halved. Today's 'Purebloods' have roughly twelve percent as well.

"After years and years with Akemi-sama, I had not imagined a life without her. So when one evening when she told me she was leaving, I thought she was joking. I had laughed. She had been facing out the window and at the sound her head rolled over to look at me. Out from under her lashes I could see how serious her gaze was. I had felt so hollow. I had wanted to know why.

" 'I'm sick of pretending I'm not in pain. With no one else, I won't have to pretend. You've been my only friend for so long and so of course I've seen how my pain hurts you!' she had said. Rare tears were forming in her eyes. Can you imagine how sickened I was that I was making her feel bad for me? That _I _was the one hurting _her_. I'd insisted that she could do whatever she wanted if it made her happy. So she left, after telling me about this place. And here we are."

I stared at him.

"Any questions? I realize I shortened that to a point almost beyond understanding, but I thought I told it okay." He was looking at his folded hands, not really seeming worried.

"No, I have no questions. Thank you, I'll be leaving now." I got up as fast as I could.

"Alright. Tell Akemi-sama that Yasu said hello."

I nodded. Keeping my eyes down I left, relieved when the cool night air surrounded me. The door opened beside me to reveal Yasu.

"Gomen, but I had forgotten this detail. Anyone who enters the club has to stay until the next evening. It's for the safety of this club. I don't know if you've realized but it's about only two hours 'til sunrise. Some extremely fallen level Es can't take even the idea of sun. Gomen, truly. You can stay in my bed. I don't mind level Es that much anymore."

Crap.

**Akemi's POV**

There was a knock at the door. Had Sayori come back from shopping already? She was such a nice girl. I didn't even have to steal anything because of her offer to buy new clothes.

Why? Why would she do that for me? All it took was for her to notice all I had was a uniform and the clothes I came in, and she offered to get me things. How kind. Currently, though, I was settling for Sayori's too tight night gown.

I let my thoughts wander until the knock came again; insistant. I got up soundlessly from my bed, pushing aside the thick scarlett cover. Did Sayori leave her key? Maybe it was Ruka, she'd really warmed up to me since the other day. I opened the door. Zero.

He looked down at me, his face growing to look more like the color of my covers. He turned his head to the side.

"Gomen, Akemi-sama, for waking you." His face was still red, though he wasn't looking at me.

"Akemi. . . . .sama?" My eyes were stinging.

Zero nodded.

My voice dropped to a whisper and now I was talking more to myself than to him. "I knew this would happen." I slammed the door in his face, just in time to see his expression turn horrified.

I went back to my bed and pulled the covers over my face. Hot tears rolled down my face. Why? Why was I _so _different. I had hoped Zero would treat me the same after learning what I was. Why?

The door opened. Damn, I hadn't locked the door. My bed protested as Zero sat down on the edge near my feet. A sound like choking came from him, in an attempt to talk. Finally, words formed.

"Gomennasai, Akemi. I don't know what I did, but the last thing I want is to hurt you. Geez, I know that sounds all mushy but it's true."

Well, I'm glad the vampire vampire-hunter didn't want to kill me.

"Zero?" My voice was thick with tears. I could see from under the covers the tortured face he made.

"Yes?" his voice held a note of desperation.

"I don't think you get the implications of that story. As a matter of fact, I was expecting you to hate me-" I broke off, choked by a sob. And then I was in Zero's arms. The smooth scarlett blanket was still separating us but it was so nice to be comforted. I'd never been comforted before. It was the warmest of feelings I'd ever had.

"I could never hate you."

"I'm glad. I probably couldn't take your hatred. Anyone, _anyone_, else's I can take. Zero?" I might as well get to the point, as much as I might not want to. "My blood can make you human. Or I could take back my Vampire blood."

Absolute silence.

Zero's eyes went blank.

"Zero?" I asked in a timid voice.

"If you drink my blood, I become human. If I drink your's I become the same level as Yasu-san, who says hi, by the way." His voice took on a dream-like quality.

"So glad to be hearing from him," I mumbled half-heartedly. My attention was on Zero. It was going to suck losing him to mortality.

"If I drink your blood I can live forever, like you, right?" Zero was staring at me intently. I nodded.

Zero brushed back my hair.

"Then may I bite you?"

I closed my eyes. . . .and nodded. He was choosing me over his human life. I don't understand. Zero's breathing was uneven as his lips brushed my neck. And then he bit me.

I concentrated on not letting him hear or feel my thoughts. Those were mine and mine alone. I would tell them to him if I wanted.

After about three seconds I pushed him away. Zero had a dazed look on his face. I can't blame him. It's the purest blood he'll ever taste. It was silent a moment.

"Now I'm like those Purebloods." Zero was looking away in disgust.

"No. You are about five times better. And, here's something you'll love, you don't have to have blood to survive. You just want it. Unlike those 'Purebloods,' you don't need blood to survive. I haven't had blood in over six hundred years."

Zero gave me a startled look.

"Yeah, I'm old."

At that Zero started to laugh. I was dumbstruck. Zero. . . . . .was laughing. It took him a minute to sober up. He had a nice laugh. It didn't make me want to hit him, so I considered it nice.

"I looked at you like that because we don't need blood. That's amazing. It worries me sometimes how un-insightful you are for a girl." He still had an amused tone to his voice.

I smiled.

"I haven't been so happy for a while, Zero. I've almost never really been happy." My tone became thoughtful.

Pain twisted Zero's features again.

"I'd do anything to make you happy, Akemi."

My expression was thoughtful again.

"Really, Zero, what more could you give me?"

"Well, what do you want?"

Hmm, I hadn't ever been asked that. What do _I _want, for once. I didn't want to be cursed. I really didn't. I was still thinking when I said what I said.

"If I could have anything, I suppose I would like to die."

Zero was still holding me, so when I said this I felt his entire body stiffen. He grabbed me roughly by the shoulders.

"You wouldn't?" Zero was staring at me with burning eyes.

"I can't. How much of the story did Yasu tell you?" Did he not tell Zero everything?

"He told me about your father, sister, the 'Purebloods,' your sister's funeral, how you became what you are, the seventeen Vampires, all of it, Akemi."

I looked into his flaming eyes with eyes cold as death.

"Even the suicide attempts?" I watched without the cruel amusement I would have had before. Why wasn't it there?

"No. . . .You're lying. Come on, don't joke like that." His eyes showed all the desperation he was feeling.

"I can see why he didn't tell you. He always had a compassionate heart. It was endless and always very, very painful, almost as painful as living was after Mitzuki's death. He wasn't supposed to tell you that much though. You know quite a bit, Zero. I know nothing about you." I mused aloud.

Zero's face was calming a bit, probably at the knowledge that I couldn't die. His grip on my arms were so loose they were sliding.

"I was born into a family of very good Vampire Hunters," Zero began, taking my hands and tracing patterns in them as he talked.

***

Poor Zero. He had it almost as bad as I had had it, probably worse. I feel awful for his twin. I would've been Ichiru if the situation were like that between Mitzuki and I, where one of us had to die. I would die a horrible death before ever laying a finger against her.

Sayori tapped me on the shoulder. Oops. I needed to stop thinking about Zero. It's sad enough I almost got caught with Zero holding me by Sayori last night. I was just lucky Zero could fit, barely, underneath my bed, and that Sayori needed me to come help her with her heavier bags she'd left at the stairs.

"Yes, Sayori-chan?"

"Yagari-sensei called on you."

"Oh."

I turned to see Yagari glaring at me. Ever since that first day he hadn't liked me much.

"The question?" I asked Yagari. He sighed.

"Wait outside, Akemi-san."

I got up from my seat and walked out the back door. I paused to smile at Zero and mouth, 'See you later.' Zero gave me an exasperated look. I wasn't staying for class again. It was funny that the teachers were afraid to tell the Chairman about my behavior. To Cross I was an angel, and his 'lovely new daughter.' He was much kinder a father than the one I tried not to remember.

It only stood to reason that while I was thinking of not being caught by the Chairman, he showed up.

"Ah, Akemi, I was just coming to get you." Cross was saying cheerfully. "We have to stop somewhere first."

Crap. I'd been caught. Sort of.

"Here we are," Cross was saying as he opened the door to- today wasn't my day.

"We need Zero," Cross was saying to Yagari. Yagari and Zero were both giving me smug looks.

Sayori took one look at me and started giggling. The rest of the students turned to see why she was laughing. That started a fit of laughter throughout the whole class.

Yagari was being good-humored and handed Zero over without snitching on me. Zero was snickering at me.

After leaving Yagari's classroom we went to Cross's office.

"So what's this about, Chairman?"

"Zero, you're so cruel." The Chairman was in his usual spazzy mood, only a little more spazzy.

I sighed.

"Zero's right. What's it about, Daddy?" That got more words out of him than calling him 'Chairman' did.

"So glad you asked, Akemi-chan. Two very special guests are coming to this Academy."

Zero's fists clenched.

"Kaname-san and Yuuki-san." He spat out. "When are they coming?"

Cross looked down guiltily.

"Tonight. Keep in mind that Yuuki is still a daughter in my eyes. Be nice, Zero. You could introduce Akemi to them."

I looked at Zero, who seemed to be in pain. I took his hand and his pain seemed to dispel. A hint of a smile curved his lips.

"Alright, Daddy. Glad to hear it. I'll make sure they come back to open arms." I said in my childish-cheery voice.

"That's my Akemi-chan." He tried to act spazzy, like he could around Zero, but he couldn't. No matter how childish I try to come across as.

I took Zero's hand and led him out the door. It was quiet as we walked down the halls, our footsteps not making a sound.

"At least you can piss Kaname off." I said quietly.

Zero smiled.

**How was it? Instead of talking to yourself and answering out loud you can leave it in a review. You seem a lot less crazy if you do it that way :) Sorry it was so short. I'll do better next time.**


	4. Empty

**AN: Alright, Chapter number 4! It is four right? If not, sorry, I'm too lazy to check. Again, thank you so much to all my reviewers. Legal junk: I don't own Vampire Knight. Now try and sue me!**

**Akemi's POV**

It was so pretty at this time of day, but it had to be ruined by wild Day Class students, escorting the Night Class, Zero's bad mood, and today these Yuuki and Kaname people were coming back. I knew a little of Kaname from Sayori and even less about Yuuki from Sayori.

The group of Day Class students wouldn't be here today though. I'd started a rumor about me throwing a party with the Night Class students at a secret location in the Day Class dorm. It was all over the place by the end of my last class. It actually got back to me as something like, 'Aidou-senpai invited Akemi-chan to a Night Class party in the Day Class dorm.'

I felt bad for Zero, because I had left escort duty to him everyday since the Aidou incident. Oh yeah, I wonder who did escort duty when Zero wasn't here yesterday. . . .Crap. I guess I don't feel bad for Zero, he didn't have to do it. Ruka was probably upset with me. She was actually nice after you got past her shell.

I was walking alone towards the gate, walking alone was actually a nice change. Silence was a much better companion than that of the idiots who normally crowded me. I'm not interested in them and their whining.

The gate was completely void of people. Well at least now no one except the Vampires can get hurt if a fight happens. From what I can tell, Zero doesn't like Kaname very much. Zero was here today, on time. When has that happend?

"Hey." I said quietly. I didn't feel much like talking. The depression that had been momentarilly cured by being in the Cross Academy was returning. Mitsuki. . . .

"Hi."

That was all we had time for before the gates opened. Aidou was the first out.

"Good morning, girls! I've come to announce we aren't doing classes tonight because of special guests." He announced loudly, before his eyes got big and he looked around confusedly.

"It's evening you imbecile." I said quietly. Why was it taking so much effort just to talk?

Aidou looked at me with an evil glint in his eyes.

"I wasn't finished with you, Akemi-chan, so glad you decided to show up. Also, the only one here to save you is that level E over there. The others are assisting in moving Kaname-sama and Yuuki-sama back in."

Aidou came and roughly grabbed my shoulders, leaning in as if to bite me.

"Are you frightened prefect? Do you want to become a Vampire?" He was trying to scare me. I almost laughed.

I gave Zero a warning look. I was going to have fun with this, that meant Zero couldn't interfere.

"Get your hands off me, or I'll kill you." I smiled sweetly.

Aidou stared at me in disbelief.

"You know you're talking to nobility, right? _Vampire_ nobility."

Zero smirked. I winked at him, obvious enough for Aidou to see. Aidou gave us a confused glare.

"Aidou, do you hate me?" I asked smoothly, taking his hand and removing it from my shoulder. Aidou went limp at my touch. He didn't want to move. After all, I was his life; literally. I walked behind him and Aidou made no move to stop me.

"No."

"Why?" I asked innocently, knowing the answer.

"I don't know why. I feel like I know you. Like I've known you all my life." His eyes were agitated, but he still wasn't moving, barely breathing from the looks of it.

"Do you want to know why?" I stepped up on my toes to breathe on his neck. That pulse in my mind sounded and I felt my eyes go red.

I staggered back and Aidou was quick to catch me. He was looking at me with incredible concentration for someone so immature.

"Yes, I'd like to know why. Those eyes can only mean one thing."

"It's because you're in love with me. From that first day all you've wanted was my attention. But it had the opposite of the desired effect and so you've been depressed these last few days, always contemplating a way to apologize to me. When you saw me out here you were elated, but since my first response didn't sound too pleased you didn't know how to act."

Zero and Aidou were both giving me astonished stares. Zero looked like he was itching to hit the other blonde boy. Aidou's expression turned wounded.

"How?" Aidou's tone was strained.

"I am the original vampire," At this Aidou looked horrified,"- and so all the vampires feel a strong pull towards me. That connection gives an instant relationship, that, as I've noticed, can easily change into love."

Zero was giving me a strange look. Oh, apparently Yasu hadn't told him about that.

"Zero, did you not feel that feeling that you'd seen me before at the beginning?"

Zero was nodding. Aidou was looking furiously at Zero.

"At the beginning?! What do you mean 'at the beginning?!' You aren't dating are you?!" he was nearly yelling it.

"No, not officially." Not an ounce of emotion bled into my voice. Zero shot me a look of betrayal. I remained indifferent. He hadn't asked me to be his so I still had my freedom.

Aidou seemed to calm down. I shot Zero a pleading glance when Aidou wasn't looking, but Zero wasn't looking either. His face was guarded again. Fine, if he was going to be that way. I slipped my hand into Aidou's, who looked down, baffled, at our hands, then up in wonder at me.

Zero looked like he couldn't breathe, but he quickly covered his face with his patented Zero mask.

"I need to talk with these Night Class students about skipping." I looked from Zero to Aidou.

"But Kaname-sama's a Pureblood and you can't-" I stopped him with an amused look.

"Your hearing isn't very good, is it? Zero, yes Zero, is five times the superior of Kaname-kun, because he drank directly from my blood. Those 'Purebloods' that are Kaname-kun's kind, have only three percent of my power."

Zero looked at me in pure shock.

"Yes, Yasu has known me for a long time and in that time my blood has gotten much stronger. Those who drank my blood while I was a child to this world, have twelve percent of my power _then_."

Zero looked like he wasn't getting enough air. I sighed, looking down at my feet. Why did I always try so hard to push people away when they were just starting to get close? Aidou's hand tightened and another, more familiar hand slipped into my available one.

Zero was glaring at Aidou who was glaring back almost as fiercely. Zero tugged at my hand, earning himself a glare. He wasn't even looking at me, but staring down Aidou with a strange look that Aidou held the same of. When Zero looked down at me I saw the emotion clearly. Possessiveness. My chest tightened and for once, I wasn't certain of how I felt about something. Normally there was a concrete I like it or I don't.

The atmosphere was almost at a crushing amount of intensity when I tried to withdraw my hands. Zero and Aidou both looked startled, as if realizing again that I was there. I wrapped my arms around my waist, feeling so small for some reason. I'd never felt such weakness before in my entire existence. Pain and some other unnamed emotion flooded me and I held myself tightly to keep it from spilling out. I felt. . . .bad, bad about how I was acting towards Aidou and Zero, and even the other people in the Academy, that I had been using and twisting for a while now. Is this. . . ._Guilt_?

I felt an emptiness spark in my very core. True emptiness. I had tried to feign emptiness before to seem even more threatening, but this felt different. I hated it, it felt so uncomfortably cold, something I hadn't truly felt since- since Mitzuki's death.

I shook myself and the two guys both gave me a concerned look.

"Are you-" Zero started.

"I'm fine!" I bit out breathlessly. What was happening?

Zero looked in pain. Great, what was wrong with him? I found my self slowly tipping downward and Aidou barely caught me before I hit the ground.

"Thanks." I whispered, still being held an inch above the ground by my left arm. Aidou shot Zero a sly smile.

"It's seems you're too weak to stand on your own. I'll just have to carry you." His eyes were burning in amusement at making Zero angry, and there was definitely some lust in those eyes.

"No." I said firmly, still sounding as if I'd just taken a punch to the gut. Was I dying? This stuff never happend. Please, just. . . . .please, show mercy and allow me to be with Mitzuki again. She was the only reason staying in this world had been worth it. That bastard who cursed me had accomplished a punishment fit for a demon and so much more than he new.

Zero snickered at him. I fell again. My legs were absolutely refusing to work. Ruka caught me. When had she got here. I could have sworn I hadn't been with her a minute ago. Oh well, my thoughts were becoming fuzzy. I let my lids droop and entered a terrible semi-consciousness were I could hear everything but not move.

**Ruka's POV**

"What the hell happend?!" I snapped at them in agitation. Aidou could really wear thin on me, and I already astablished that I hated Zero. Akemi was hanging limply in my hands. Wow, she was unhealthily light. No one was this light and still living. My agitation shot into full blown panic.

Although Zero was below me the concern he held for my new friend was genuine, and Aidou would never really harm a girl, so I decided it would be okay for them to help me carry her back to the Moon Dorm.

"Guys, I need you to grab her legs and we need to get her medical attention. Ichijou-san should be good at that." They both looked at me dumbly.

Aidou's face was warming a bit and Zero wasn't looking at me.

"What is it, already? She needs medical attention!" I flared.

"Um, she's wearing a skirt. It wouldn't really be respectful to-"

We were interrupted when Zero came and swept Akemi up bridal style.

"Come on, she needs medical attention." Zero mirrored my words back to me.

I walked quietly after him, watching Aidou glare daggers into Zero's back. When Zero kicked open the door he was met with surprised looks. Rima took one look at Aidou in his aggravated state, smiled, then saw Akemi and her expression turned pained.

"What happend?" She demanded quietly.

"I don't know, that's why we need Ichijou-sama."

"Hm. . .If we keep introducing her to them, there won't be any guys left. Alright, I'll go get Ichijou-sama. She looks so pale." That was ironic. The pot calling the kettle black, was it? "You can set her on the couch, Zero-sama."

Sama? Zero-sama? Maybe Rima was losing her mind. I turned to Zero and saw that both he and Aidou were wide-eyed. I was getting ready to yell at Zero for not moving when he locked eyes with me. He walked over and put Akemi down. When he returned his expression was blank but his eyes were filled with a menace I shouldn't have been afraid of but was.

"I have prefect obligations and I'm leaving her in your care. She's mentioned before that she had become closer to you. Be aware that if anything happens to her, I'm holding you responsible. Do you understand, Ruka?" How dare he talk down upon me so? And why do I fear this bone-chilling fear not unlike that of when I entered Akemi's mind? I wanted to yell at him but I just nodded my head.

Zero walked past me with a cool intensity that reminded me of Kaname. Of Yuuki. Of a Pureblood.

After Zero left Aidou excused himself to go help Yuuki and Kaname. I had warned him that if he told them what was happening heads would roll.

Ichijou walked down the steps, looking confused. Rima probably had only told him something like, 'There's a girl on our couch and we need you.' Ichijou looked over at the figure lying down in wonder. I felt a swell of jelousy before letting it go. With all that pain Akemi is suffering she deserves something in return. Plus, she really was pretty. It was weird not being the prettiest one, as I'd grown used to being treated. Not that Rima wasn't pretty, it was just that she never acted very interested in keeping up her appearance, except at photo shoots.

"She just passed out, Ichijou-sama. There's no information more than that." I told him. Ichijou frowned and walked over to the girl, picking up her wrist and feeling the pulse.

"That's less than helpful. . . .She has no pulse but she's breathing. She isn't human is she?"

"No." I told him, hoping it wasn't a huge secret of Akemi's. I bit my lip.

"Could you hand me the flaslight, Ruka-san?" Nodding, I tossed him the flashlight, which he caught without looking up. He pulled up her eyelids and shined the light in them. I heard Ichijou's sharp intake of breath. "What's wrong?!" I said, panicked.

"Her eyes are as black as her pupil. I can't diagnose this with just a cursory examination."

I blinked. Her eyes weren't _that _dark, were they? I sighed.

"Akemi-chan makes people do everything the hard way."

"Akemi-chan? I haven't heard of her."

"Did you not see her that day that Aidou went over and got slapped by her?" I joked.

"No." He told me flatly, seriously. "What are you talking about?"

"Y-You're kidding." I said shakily, this had happend to everyone else but me, Zero, Aidou, and Akemi.

"Ruka-san, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Forget I said anything. Now, how do we cure her? Knowing she's not human."

Ichijou looked thoughtful.

"Very few things hurt Vampires. One of them being not feeding in a long time. Could you get some blood tablets for me?"

I nodded and went to our version of a kitchen; two cabinets full of glasses, a dishwasher, an elegant table with drawers, drawers filled with blood tablets. I prepared the glass and brought it back to Ichijou, who was piching the bridge of his nose.

"Here."

"Arigato."

He put the cup to her lips and forced her to drink it. We waited. No response.

"Maybe she needs real blood." I offered, rolling up my sleeve, positioning my finger nail to cut my arm, but Ichijou had sliced his wrist on his teeth and was already offering it to her.

Akemi swallowed it, but in the end it had no effect except to tinge her lips red and give her a certain glow.

Three hours passed like this and Ichijou was getting frustrated.

"I simply don't know what else to do!" Ichijou had his head in his hands.

"You've only tried two of the three possible things that are making her like this. I'm sorry, I didn't put that quite right, but you understand, don't you?"

"Yes. The last method to result in this would be the use of anti-vampire substances. I'd been avoiding that one because the only way to tell if that was used is by taking some of her blood, which would be bad if she were suffering from lack of blood."

"We have no choice." I said quietly. He stared into her eyes, looking for her resolve to do this. When he found it, he nodded to himself.

He took a sterilized needle to her skin and drew out a small bit off blood. Immediately he got a cotten ball swabbed in alcohol an placed it were the needle had been. He wrapped tape around her arm like she was bleeding to death, not just poked with a needle.

"And now for the time of judgement," muttered Ichijou.

He swiftly ran his fingers through his hair, pulling with them a couple hairs that were loose. He placed them on a white napkin and let a single drop of blood fall. God, her blood smelled good. As soon as I'd thought that all of Ichijou's stray hairs were burned by the drop of blood. I gasped.

"She shouldn't be alive. Whoever did this gave her enough anti-vampire poisons to kill the all the existing noble, royal, and even level E Vampires. Ruka-san, how is she still living?"

I shook my head. I had no idea. Well, I had a slight idea of her power from the whole mind-control-attack thing. I sighed aloud. I was doing a really bad job at trying to blow that off.

"Ichijou-sama?" I asked, calling for his attention, although it was already completely focused on me, "I know it's because she is very powerful. I'd tried to attack her for petty reasons-" Ichijou looked alarmed "-Her mind alone had me screaming. I couldn't have entered if she had not let me."

Ichijou's eyes drifted to the small, pale, glowing girl on the couch. He looked back at me, incredulous.

"_Her _mind had you screaming?"

"Ichijou, don't doubt her." I said fiercly. He looked so surprised he just nodded. "So, how are we going to help her?" I asked calmly. Ichijou seemed to shake himself.

"We can't do anything. She has to heal on her own, if she heals. Be prepared if she doesn't, that was an insane amount of poison." Ichijou warned. I shrugged it off as if he hadn't said it.

"Where's she going to sleep? She can't very well stay on the couch when we don't want anyone to find out about her. The only reason no one has found out is because they are all out picking up the last of Yuuki-sama and Kaname-sama's things. We need to clean up that blood, by the way. If we don't the Vampires will go crazy. It took all of my will not to jump for that single drop. I can see it took your's too. I suggest bleach, that kills every smell but itself."

Ichijou nodded.

"We're lucky this happend on a break period. She can stay in the uninhabited room next to mine on one side and Rima-san's on the other. She has until next Sunday to wake up, or the Chairman will begin to wonder, and her friends and roommate. All we can do is hope. Sorry I couldn't do more, Ruka-san."

I nodded and went over with him to carry Akemi up the steps and into the room. After Ichijou set Akemi down on the bed Akemi's mouth moved, like she was really trying to speak but all that would come out was warm air. Did she normally talk in her sleep? I looked closely at the words forming on her lips. I froze in horror when I found out what she was saying and turned to find Ichijou had figured it out just before me. He had a sickened expression. Her mouth was still moving.

_Please kill me, Please Kill me, Pleasekillme, Pleasekillme. . . . ._

**Zero's POV**

"You think that Akemi what?!" I screamed in disbelief.

The blonde Vampire, Ichijou, looked at me gravely. A genuine horror was shown in his eyes that made me feel sick to my stomach. When Ichijou looked too sick to answer Ruka spoke up.

"She kept mouthing 'Please kill me.' Ichijou-sama has a right to believe she did it to herself."

"Suicide?" My voice was hoarse. Akemi's voice rang in my head.

_If I could have anything, I suppose I would like to die._

"No way. There is absolutely no way she would do that. It would have taken immense tolerance to pain if she could even stand while under anti-vampire poison. None of you have been shot with an anti-vampire weapon and the pain is unlike anything else. Did you even see how confused she'd been? She wouldn't have brought that pain on herself." I was trying to bring myself into a state of denial. It's not that I wouldn't accept it, I really couldn't.

Ruka had something in her eyes like pity, the pity brought to attention by the tears that were making her eyes shine. Her face suddenly broke, like a clown's mask breaking to reveal nothing but unhappiness, and she was sobbing on Rima's shoulder. Rima had an unhappy face, but not as devestated as Ruka. Rima actually seemed disappointed, like a child who saw something they knew they would have liked but had to leave it.

"If you want to see her, I can show you the way." Ichijou said quiely.

I nodded. Ichijou turned to lead the way. I glanced back at Ruka and wondered why she was so torn over this; hadn't she and Akemi hated each other not so long ago? I shook my head and then followed Ichijou. When we at the top of the stairs Ichijou led me down a long halway. Halfway down Ichijou stopped and turned to me with a half frustrated, half angry expression.

"Look, Zero, do you know what you're getting into?" He was looking at me with disgusted anger.

"What?" I honestly had no clue what he was talking about. He changed from slightly angry to glaring at me with something not unlike hatred.

"That girl in there wants to die. Why?"

Is he accusing me of depressing her enough to try and kill herself? I think he is.

"It's not my fault. That girl in there barely shows any emotion towards me. When she does there is a coldness underneath that makes it insincere. She's been hurting for a while now." I looked to the side, wanting to have something to blame Akemi's suffering on. Something tangible that I could destroy to bring Akemi happiness. Ichijou grabbed me by my shirt. Was this really the almost shy Vice President?

"That girl in there is not only near death, she's the very first Vampire! How could you have let this happen?! Did you not try hard enough do get her to want to stay in this world?!" He was furious.

"Why do you care?" I interrupted cooly. I knew this answer, I just wanted him to stop yelling at me for what wasn't my fault. I did try. Very hard. To mean something to her.

"I don't know," Ichijou said, calmer now, "I just feel like I've seen her before, or met her. Either way, I know her, and you better not do anything to hurt her."

I nodded. When Ichijou seemed not to be going anywhere I gestured for him to continue. He blinked and then led the way to Akemi.

***

She was so. . ._pale_. She was near white and seemed almost translucent. Her lips where moving, and her face hinted at pain, but she made no sound or movement aside from her lips. I stepped closer to see what she was trying to say.

_Please kill me, please kill me, pleasekillme, please, please. . . . ._

They weren't lying. My head was spinning so I pulled up a chair next to her. I took one of her slender hands in mine and observed how breakable she looked. I'd never seen Akemi look so weak, and that terrified me.

***

Her mouth moved like that for the next five days. Yuuki had come in and Kaname, I hadn't even glanced at them. Yuuki had been hurt, but strangley, I hadn't cared. When Kaname got angry at me for 'offending' Yuuki, and had tried to hit me, I had caught his hand and threw him against the wall; all without turning to look in their direction. They had left soon after that and no one had come in since. I caught a glance of myself in the restroom and saw deep bags under my eyes. I couldn't sleep, even though I tried. The phrase, 'so tired I can't sleep,' is very true. And when the sixth day happend her hand moved, a small twitch.

"Akemi?" My voice was hoarse from disuse.

Her long lashes fluttered, and then she opened her eyes. She sat up slowly, wincing in pain every inch. She looked up at me through half-lidded eyes. I threw my arms around her. I hated showing weakness, but I was just so _relieved_. Akemi went stiff. Not a good sign.

"Ow, Zero get off of me." Akemi said blandly. What? She never _didn't _show emotion. Even if the emotion was fake, it was there. I looked down into her eyes.

They were so _empty_. I searched for anything underneath and found. . . . nothing. Not hatred, pain, love, sadness, nothing.

"Zero, let go of me." she said again in that detached bell voice. I still had my hands on her shoulders. I let go.

"Akemi?"

She turned to look at me, unseeing.

"Yes?" Akemi wasn't even bothering to face me.

"Did you try to kill yourself?" It came out sharper than I'd meant to, causing her to look at me with clouded eyes.

"Why didn't you let me die?" It was very quiet but the same calm that definitely belonged to Akemi was there. At least I knew it was really her. Did that make this any better? No, it would be better if it wasn't her and Akemi was somewhere else but still feeling normal.

"That doesn't answer my question," I ground out harshly.

She locked eyes on me with a coldness that burned you.

"You don't really want to know the truth. You want me to deny it. It's in your eyes." Akemi didn't even have that cruel look she got when she was playing with people. Her face was passive, like a doll's. It was. . . .disturbing.

"Just answer." I bit down so hard I tasted blood.

She searched my face.

"Alright. You aren't going to like it. Yes, I tried to kill myself."

**Well, that sucks. Don't worry, I may or may not make the story happier. I never plan so I honestly don't know. I don't even know if I want her to end up with Zero. I might change it. Tell me if you like it, and feel free to offer suggestions.**


	5. So sorry

**AN: Yeah, my current review number is shameful. Please leave reviews if you like the story. It lets me know people are actually reading it. Please and Thank you. Warning: language.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight. If I did, the show would be a bit different. (Go Zero! Boo Kaname!)**

**Akemi's POV**

Zero wasn't happy because of this. His face became tortured and he started to open his mouth before I interrupted.

"Stop talking. You can't change the fact that I want to die."

A fire sparked in Zero's eyes and he looked at me; understatement of the year.

"Maybe, but that won't stop me from trying." And with that he kissed me.

He became frustrated when I wouldn't respond and tried to force my mouth open.

"Zero-" He took advantage of that and tried to deepen the kiss. I bit down on his tongue, lightly so as not to draw blood.

Zero misunderstood my intention to harm him as passion and began kissing me so fiercly my heart jumped. _What?_

I pushed lightly at his chest. He ignored me. I hated that I wasn't getting irratated. My body was certainly starting to respond to Zero, so I had to stop this; _fast_. I pushed hard enough that he staggered backwards.

"Stop." I was amazed at how emotionless I sounded despite how shaky I felt.

Zero's expression grew pained. I sighed. I was causing him useless pain. I hadn't tried to kill myself. Someone had tried to murder me, but I didn't want Zero going ballistic and the perpetrator finding out that I know I was poisoned. Thus, an emotionless Akemi was born. It was easy to pretend now that I had some pure coldness starting at my very core from who knows what. My only regret is that this is greatly paining Zero.

Anyway, I was going to have to find a way to change the subject to going to find Kaname and Yuuki. I was eager to meet them. Finding no easy way to bring this up, I simply stood. Ew, I was still in my unwashed prefect uniform. I walked out the door with Zero gawking behind me. I easily found Ruka's room, even though I'd never even been in the Moon dorm before. I threw open her door and just stared.

This room was lovely. I turned to see Ruka staring at me with tear filled eyes.

"Akemi-chan!" She rushed over to hug me.

"I need clothes." I stated flatly. Ruka raised an eyebrow at me. I lowered my voice enough to where Ruka would barely be able to hear me, "Someone poisoned me. No one can know. I've already told Zero I tried to kill myself. That's the story, please stick to it. I intend to find out who did this without them knowing I'm after them."

Ruka's eyes widened and then she turned to a white, wooden dresser and pulled out a black sweater and a pair of jeans that were going to be way too tight. I sighed. Then smiled.

"Black isn't my color." I couldn't keep back, fully, the amusement that I felt. Ruka smiled and pulled out a dark blue v-neck longsleeve that was going to nearly as tight as the jeans. "Jesus, Ruka. Are you trying to give Aidou a heart attack." I would've named others but the list was on the long side.

Ruka laughed lightly.

"Just put it on already."

"First, do you have a shower?"

Ruka looked at me like I'd grown a second head.

"Of course we have a shower. Are you forgetting that I am _the_ Ruka. Yeah, it's on the opposite side of the closet." Sometimes, Ruka was really sarcastic.

I nodded and went to clean myself up. Minutes later I was staring in the mirror. I'd _never _looked in a mirror before. I'd seen my outline in blurry shop windows and in the water of a pond, but never my reflection through a mirror. I was so pretty. I felt jelousy boil inside of me before realizing, again, that that girl was me. I'd always known I was attractive, but this girl in the mirror looked like a goddess. Man, I actually felt sorry for all the girls around me, and all the guys that I would refuse.

I walked out off the room with a towel still in hand, using it to dry my hair. Ruka was going through her drawers like a mad woman. She was acting very frantic about what to wear for some reason. Wait a second, I recognized that attitude. . . .

"Who is it, Ruka-chan?"

She blushed.

"I-I don't know who-what- you are talking about. . . ." Ruka said, fidgetting with the hem of her nightshirt.

"Alright, don't tell me. It's not as if I could have helped or anything-" I let the statement hang in the air, turning for the door.

"Wait-" she bit her lower lip, "Fine. It's Kaname-sama. If you can help with that then you would, without a doubt, be my best friend."

I smiled and turned back to her. I turned to shift through her dresser. Aha! I pulled out a blood red babydoll top and a sleek, short black skirt. I threw to Ruka.

"Try it on," I said, turning back to find some make-up and hair supplies. I never used them but that doesn't mean I don't know how.

"Um. . . . It looks. . . scandalous." I turned around to see she was right. It was okay, I'd worn worse.

"Yeah, it does. It looks good." I turned back to gather the rest of the stuff. Ruka's mouth dropped. "Sit." I commanded.

Ruka sat and then I expertly began applying her make-up. I swirled her away from the mirror and began doing her hair. Ten minutes later I stepped back to admire my work. Ruka looked so pretty. Her hair looked good up, in a long, elegant french braid that was braided to bring out her lighter haighlights. Her make-up made her eyes look bigger, it had a very flattering effect on Ruka, and her lips were painted to match her shirt. I studied my work and then, with a quick nod, turned Ruka towards the mirror. A soft gasp came from Ruka as she looked at herself. Tears grew in her eyes.

"Oh, thank you, Akemi-chan."

"You're welcome. Now dry those tears. If you smudge your make-up I'll kick your butt." I smiled weakly.

She nodded and then we left the room. We went to sit in a room I could only describe as a lounge, with lovely white decor. I went to sit and be noticed.  
"I didn't search people out because I normally just didn't care. When I did care I still rarely went to find them. When they came across me, though, I wouldn't hesitate to speak. I wasn't shy, I simply didn't really care all that much.

A tall, rather hot, blonde guy walked down the steps. He looked at Ruka and his eyes widened. He looked at me and his eyes grew impossibly wider. He bowed his head in my direction.

"Akemi-sama, you're awake."

I let out a loud huff.

"Akemi-sama? To what do I owe the honor of that title? And, no offense, but do I even know you?" My voice was so effortlessly cold.

"Forgive me, I was rude. You may call me Ichijou, as a matter of fact it would be preferred. The '-sama' is there because it would be below your station to refer to you as otherwise, Pureblood." He extended his hand towards mine. I looked at it, seemingly, without emotion. I was going to play as if I were condescending. I was really just bored.

"If you know who I am, why would you dare think yourself worthy of touching me?"

I watched as his face grew chagrined. My face stayed blank throughout the entire conversation.

"I was just kidding." I told him flatly as I took his hand. "Ichijou, huh? Nice name. Don't take my hateful-ness personally, I'm just bored. Ichijou-san, would you mind showing me around so I'm not quite so bored?" I used the hand he still held to lift me off the couch.

He looked at me affectionatley. Huh, weird. I'd never gotten such a kind look from anyone other than Sayori, who seems naturally kind, but this was coming from Ichijou, whom I didn't think was so naturally kind. I turned to Ruka.

"Want to come?" I asked. I glanced to the side and caught Ichijou's pleading look. Ruka smiled knowingly and shook her head.

"No, I'll catch up with you later." She looked down at her lap and smiled softly.

"Thank you." I saw Ichijou mouth.

I took his hand and gestured for him to lead the way. He took a shaky breath before leading me out of the open, high ceilinged room. He took me then into what he called a 'kitchen,' and then into a large ball room where he paused for a moment. I was jerked to a halt when Ichijou stopped.

"What's wrong?" I whirled to find him much too close. My eyes grew as big as saucers. If I leaned in a millimeter closer our lips would be touching.

"Akemi," He breathed. "Akemi, you didn't try to kill yourself, did you?" It was whispered, as if he suspected someone was listening.

I shook my head.

"No, but Zero believes I did. I want this kept from him and anyone who would react like he would. I was poisoned. . ." I trailed off in disbelief.

"Akemi," he said in a voice so heated I stepped back. He stepped closer. I-I wasn't sure I wanted this. I'd never had to deal with such _brave_ guys before. They usually hesitated long enough for me to decide if I liked them. "Would you be my girlfriend?" His voice was louder and only half directed at me.

Deciding I didn't want to know who it was that was watching us I refused to look back as I gave my answer.

"Alright, Ichijou-kun," I said in the same impossible-to-hear-from-afar voice.

Ichijou looked back at me; disbelieving.

"What?" Ichijou asked dumbly. His face broke into a smile. "Thank, Akemi-chan."

He leaned in hesitantly; halfway, giving me the choice of whether or not to kiss him.

_Zero. . . ._

In a burst of defiance I leaned in to kiss Ichijou. His hands slid around to my lower back while his tongue explored my mouth. He was surprisingly good for someone who seemed so classy. _My_ reaction was what confused me. I couldn't move. I felt a horrible pain in my chest and only two words were coming to mind.

_Traitor! Zero. . . ._

I felt a desperate surge of anger at the fact that _he _had control over my feelings to any extent. Just to prove that Zero didn't mean anything I knotted my fingers into Ichijou's hair. I did whatever I could to stop thinking of Zero; by the time it was over Ichijou was moaning my name and I was out of breath.

"I-I-I'll s-see you later." I walked off as calmly as I could. My head screaming at me so loud I believed I was going to pass out.

There was a medium sized arch that led out off the ball room. Walking in I realized how creepy it was. It was lit on only one side and they were candles, spread far apart from each other. I stayed close to the wall with the candles. I nearly screamed when I saw a figure materialize out of quite literally nowhere.

_Zero. . ._

My chest tightened and I cried out softly, throwing my hand up over the ache. The pissed off expression Zero wore dissolved from his face for a moment. He reached out for me, but then looked down at his hand as if it were acting of it's own accord, then snatched it back.

"So, you and Ichijou, huh?"

"Hn." I looked down and pretended to be fascinated with my fingernails. I gasped when Zero's hand flew up beside my head to punch the wall.

"I don't like it, Akemi," he breathed, looking to the side. I couldn't help it, my hand reached up to frame one side of his face. Zero drew in an unsteady breath and leaned forward. His arm was still just above my left shoulder and his body was blocking all other escape routes except the way I had came from.

"Zero, don't." I had tears in my voice. Maybe I could tell him. Maybe he wouldn't-

"Akemi," Zero interrupted in a husky voice, "I still will keep you safe from _anything _that wishes to harm you," he grew cold, " Including yourself."

Nevermind. He would. He _definitly _would react the way I really needed him not to. I drew in a cold breath and let the cold paint my attitude.

"Move, Kiryuu-san." I pushed at his chest, trying to move him. _Please move. I can't deal with a confrontation with you._

"No. Something is very wrong, Akemi. You can't completely change the way you act in your sleep. You're not you. _This_," he gestured to my expression, "is not Akemi."

I narrowed my eyes at him and let that disguise my discomfort. I needed to get away. I slapped the hand away that was blocking my escape and ran.

"Akemi!"

I ran as hard as I could, tears blurring my vision and making me stumble. Panic flowed through my veins when I heard Zero catching up fast. I was almost home free. I could see the light at the end of the hallway, only about fifty feet away. An iron grip caught my wrist and I was jerked to a halt. The sudden stop sent me reeling and I fell back.

I let the tears fall while Zero held me by the upper arms. My back was lying on Zero's lower stomach and my head was turned in a position I thought best to keep him from noticing the tears. I knew it wasn't working when he wiped a tear from my cheek.

"That proves something is going on. Stop torturing me and just tell me what's going on."

I bit back some of the nasty words I was going to say at being commanded. But still, some escaped. I wanted to hurt him. I didn't like anything worse than being commanded.

"Kiryuu-san, I will not hesitate to kill you just because I was kind to you. You don't know who I am. I am the world's best lier and actress. I'm using you, you moron. I'm stopping now because you're just pitiful," I managed to make the tears stop completely and even managed to make pity rise in my eyes, "I'm done. I can't really use you anymore. I thought I'd let you keep loving me before because I thought you would be useful later. I had finally decided you couldn't offer anything and was going to let you down as easily as I could. You wouldn't let that happen, so you chased me. And now you are just going to have to listen to the ugly truth. I tried to make you stop by being distant, slightly mean, ignoring you, and finally by agreeing to go out with Ichijou-san. _None of it_ passed through your thick, lovesick head!" I shouted in anger. Man, I was venting all of my past anger on him and, even though I realized it was wrong, I couldn't stop. My voice was near a shriek.

"I hate you Kiryuu! You and your _weakness_. You couldn't even protect your own family! Some Hunter you are! You killed your own twin, you sick bastard! You let that bitch, Yuuki, leave for her brother. You! Are! _Weak_! You made me dig up my past so you could feel like you had some claim to me. You left _me_ to fight a level E before you knew I could take care of my self! I hate you! I hate you!" I had tears violently flowing down my face. I was knotting my fingers in my hair and pulling; trying to hurt myself like I wanted to hurt my father. I slid to the floor and and wrapped one arm around my knees. The other hand was being bitten savagely by me in an attempt to calm down. Blood cascaded down in a thick stream.

Zero's face during the whole ordeal had gone from hurt, to disbelief, to anger, and was now in a state of pride-shattering pity.

"I don't need your pity, damn you!" I struck out at him with the hand I had bit.

He caught it easily and forced me to look into his eyes. The understanding I saw there nearly killed me.

"Why? Why, Zero? Why?" I let myself keep saying that until my voice grew hoarse. Zero squeezed my hand. Thirty minutes later I was finally wiping away the last of my tears. I stood up and dragged Zero up with me, who had assumed a position similar to mine except that his head was on his knees, not hidden behind them. Also, our hands were still connected. He glanced at me tentatively.

"How did it feel to finally let out the anger you've held against your father all these years?"

I gasped and looked at him curiously. I did feel so much lighter and I felt. . ._happy?_ I felt like I could cry again, but for a completely different reason. The tears did fight their way to the surface.

"Great. Better than you could ever understand." It was so shaky that I laughed and watched in horror as it turned into sobs. I burried my face in Zero's chest. "Why am I crying w-when I-I'm s-so h-happy?"

He placed his hand on my back and gave me a small, reassuring pat. "It's normal," he whispered. I wrapped my arms around him.

"I lied, Zero." I whispered.

"Hm? About what?"

"I don't think I hate you. I think I love you."

**How was that? Was it emotional enough or did I suck at it? Please review. Sorry for taking so long to update.**


	6. Mitzuki

**Sorry guys, I forgot to post it. I've actually had it done for a while now. Heh, heh. . . . Again, so sorry!**

**Legal: I don't own Vampire Knight.**

**Zero's POV**

"You're kidding me, right?"

"No."

"But you just told me ten minutes ago you loved me." I was getting irratated as we walked to the end of the hall. Akemi was standing a good three feet away from me, refusing to come any closer. Although, after she had had that melt down, her insults and refusals lacked the sharp edge and she sounded like she didn't really mean it. Her slight happiness was so strange it was like she was a completely different person.

"Who knows? I could have meant I love you like a brother. I didn't say 'I'm absolutely in love with you and am going to dump Ichijou.' I said simply, 'I love you,' " Akemi argued stubbornly. I groaned. She was so hard headed.

I guess I should have known. I felt foolish for having gotten my hopes up, just to be squashed. "But why? Why are you dating Ichijou? You don't even now him. _He_ doesn't even know _you_." I seethed.

"Well, neither do you. I haven't known you very long at all. Besides, no one will ever love me for who I really am. Sometimes I wish I was plain. You know; ordinary." Akemi had a thoughtful face on. I was stunned. Did she really think I was _that_ shallow? Yes, she was great on the outside, but I stayed with her because she was interesting and unnaturally kind to those she was even remotely close to. She would do bad things, but it was to convince herself she wasn't good. She blamed herself for her sister's death, and wanted to believe herself as evil to ease the pain. It obviously hadn't been working. Even as we walked her arms were wrapped loosely around herself.

"Trust me, I wouldn't stay around you just because of how you look. And if you were normal you would't be very good company." I rolled my eyes at her. She looked sad. What did I say? "What's wrong?" I tried to get closer to her but she took a step back as I took one forward.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Akemi shrugged off my concern. It was strange how I couldn't care less for any other girl's feelings and they tried to tell me about them anyway but when I asked this _one_ girl, she refused to tell me. I stepped forward to deliberately put my hand on her shoulder. She looked up at me in shock. "Let go." She pulled back. I guess that's what you can expect from Akemi.

"Okay." I released my hand from her shoulder. After an akward pause I decided to break the silence. "What are we going to do now?" This seemed to be what she had been waiting for. A grin appeared on her face. She grabbed my wrist and dragged me through the last few feet of hallway at a run.

"You need to introduce me to Kaname-kun and Yuuki-chan!" She yelled back at me while we flew up the steps at whatever speed was as fast as Akemi could go. Dread filled the pit of my stomach. Yuuki. . . .and Kaname, who I believe, the last time I saw him, had been insulting me when I'd punched him. I only swallowed it because it seemed that Akemi really wanted to meet Yuuki. I don't blame her. Yuuki's nice.

We were in front of their door in no time. Akemi turned to me with a huge smile. My stomach sunk lower as I realized she wasn't here to make friends. Akemi turned to knock.

**Yuuki's POV**

A knock came softly from the front of Kaname's door. Kaname looked up in confusion. I bet it's Shiki . No one else had been up since we got here except him, once. They were all distracted by whoever was in that room with Zero. The person in there must be special if Zero was willing to attack a Pureblood. Whoever it was, they had looked like a blob under the sheets to me. The knock came again; impatient. My eyes widened. No one would dare get impatient with Kaname-senpai. Suddenly, the scent of sweet, untainted blood wafted in the air.

"Kaname-senpai, what is that smell?" My eyes glazed over in lust. It smelled so _good_.

"Yuuki," came my lover's familiar voice. "Resist. I'll answer it." Looking like he himself had trouble resisting, he got up and opened the door a crack. I saw his back stiffen and a pleasing voice started speaking.

"May I see Yuuki-chan?" This person knew me? Kaname turned back; dazed.

"Yuuki?" He was asking if it was okay with me. I shrugged.

"I'm alright with it. Who are they?"

"Zero and some other girl." He looked a little stricken. Not dazed, but _afraid_. Was something wrong with Zero? _Yeah, he's with another girl_, my thoughts stated before I could control them.

"Oh. Well, bye, I guess," I said and then opened the door and shut it cautiously behind me.

I turned to see Zero and a dainty, gorgeous girl with a mischievous smile. When I turned to face her, the smile disappeared. Her eyes filled with tears and her lip quivered.

"Not. . . .possible," A tear spilled over and she moved towards me. I couldn't move. She put a hand on my cheek and then brushed my hair back to reveal a scar that looked like the Egyptian cross, the Ankh, which symbolized eternal life, rebirth, and the life-giving power of the sun. The last part was rather ironic. "It is you. It actually worked." Her eyes spilled over and she pulled me into a tight hug. She started sobbing. Zero looked shocked, but I couldn't bring myself to move. Whoever she was, I felt like I knew her. It was deep and filled with pain, but I had some sort of history with her.

"Oh, Mitzuki, thank god, thank god. . . ." Mitzuki? Why was that name so familiar? Zero looked like he had just choked tongue. His lips were parting in an effort to speak but no sound came out. Since Zero didn't look like he could talk, I decided to.

"Do I know you?" I asked gingerly. This girl looked more breakable than I did. The girl released me from her grip and placed her hands just above each of my elbows. She smiled at me through happy tears.

"No, but you used to," she wiped her eyes on her sleeve, "You are Mitzuki Ishikawa. You were killed a long time ago."

I started to shake my head and back away. This was crazy. _She_ was crazy. I'd _just_ figured out who I was and she was trying to tell me that it wasn't the truth. She walked towards me in a kind of desperation. "Please listen. . . ." It was a plea I absolutely felt I couldn't ignore. I studied her expression. She held a determination on her face that seemed to pierce through you. Whatever she wanted to explain, it meant the world to her.

"Alright. Where do you want to go to talk about this? Kaname-senpai is most likely suspicious becuase of the crying." The girl smiled a huge smile and Zero gaped even wider.

"Mitzuki?" Someone asked. I answered it reflexively with the turn of my head. The girl gave an ambrosial smile. Tears poured down her happy face and she pulled me into another tight hug. I realized that I was about half an inch taller than she was. "Let's go. I have a room here at the very end of the hall on the opposite side. You can come too, Zero, if you ever start breathing again." Her teasing made him stare in awe.

"Mitzuki? Akemi, do you mean your sister, Mitzuki? _That_ Mitzuki?" Hearing Zero's voice after so long made me jump. I turned towards him and was saddened by the fact that he wasn't paying me the least bit of attention. I really needed to stop with the jelousy, I had been the one to leave with Kaname, after all. I should be happy he found some special person to like. Akemi, was it?

"Yes. It's her, I'm sure."

"But Akemi-" Zero called to her. She turned to him in a viciousness unseen ever before.

"Zero, stop it. It _is_ her. I have absolutely no doubts. Come, I have something to tell 'Yuuki.' Zero, as I said earlier, you can come as well."

Zero and I were silent after that as we followed the fragile girl to her room. I hadn't realized I was shaking until something unmoving grasped my shoulder. I turned to see Zero smile at me reassuringly. I felt my chest give a painful squeeze. I wished from the bottom of my heart that I had stayed with him instead. We walked into a dark, candle-lit room.

**Zero's POV**

Akemi seemed so pensive since seeing Yuuki. It had me worried. She looked so tense that I was waiting for her to snap into a thousand pieces. The determination in her eyes was palpable.

Akemi led us into her room that was lit with three blood colored candles. She went to sit cross legged on her cream-like bed. Yuuki and I were motioned to sit in the two plush, scarlett seats across from her bed. It was silent for a long time. The glow of the flame made Akemi look otherworldly; making her seem completely beyond the reach of the world. Out of my reach. Her eyes glittered like glass and you could see almost nothing but her mouth, the rest of her expression was covered by the blanket of darkness. You couldn't see them, but you could feel it when her eyes locked in our direction.

"The time since I have came here has been insanity. Absolute insanity. I really hope this isn't how it normally is," her words were conversational, her tone made you feel insignificant. I shook my head and her eyes slowly rolled to look at me. All you could see was her eye's shine. I was unexpectedly wishing I hadn't called attention to myself. "Alright, Zero-kun, I'll take your word for it. The story I am going to tell you is something unknown to anyone except Yasu and myself. This is the truth of my story."

**Third Person POV Many Years Ago**

She walked from Yasu's side to go stand by her little sister, barely breathing, barely alive, twisting in the agony her father had bestowed upon her. The young Vampire, Akemi, didn't believe her eyes. Mitzuki was nude, exposing every cut, scrape, gash, and bruise. Her father had started the fire that was raging all around them. Yasu had been screaming that they needed to get out for a few minutes now. Akemi had unmasked horror spilling all over her features, her mouth a round 'O.'

"Be quiet, Yasu," this part was directed at him, but the rest was solemnly made promises said for herself and Mitzuki, "I'll kill them, Mitzuki. I'll kill them all, and then I'll join you."

By the time Yasu's screams had finally penetrated the Pureblood's carfully carved shield, she already had had some of her clothes burnt. Her beautiful white and gold kimono had one previously long sleeve singed up to her shoulder. She knelt to pick up her younger sister. The young, normally soft spoken boy looked at her like she had lost her mind. To some point, she had.

"What are you doing? She's dead!" A murderous glare shaded the girl's face and once the shadow passed. . . To this day there is a hardness that remains.

She walked up to him, stared soul-lessly into his eyes, and handed him her little sister. "Take her to safety. If anything happens to her I will kill you. You will die a worse fate than my father." Yasu looked confused; her father wasn't dead. Understanding lit his features as she stared at him meaningfully.

"Don't take too long cleaning up the filth," he told her unhappily. She nodded, her face impassive. Yasu took the body that was still disturbingly warm, the blood rubbing on his skin. He almost threw up. Akemi looked at him, no, through him, to show he should go outside already. He nodded and left with Mitzuki.

Akemi turned gracefully on her heel and pure, unadulterated hatred poured off of her in thick waves. _He's going to regret everything, Mitzuki. I swear, I swear I'll make him scream, _she thought with a sickness in her stomach. She wouldn't enjoy it, no, not really; she had to do it for Mitzuki's pride. Down her 'home' halls that stretched endlessly on, a single grand door was slightly open. She slinked like a lioness into her father's room. The man reeked of alcohol and he had wild, blood-shot eyes. He was obviously regretting what he'd done, not because he felt guilty, but because he didn't want to get caught. Using her Vampire abilities she was behind him before he could blink. She was close enough to bite his disgusting neck. Akemi could hear him mumbling ways to lie to his people about what happend. She thought of snapping his neck, then decided against it when she concluded he deserved far worse.

"Hello, mut," Akemi spit out. Her father's eyes widened and he screamed. _I made him scream, Mitzuki. I will avenge you._ She closed in on him and over the next thirty minutes she painted the room red.

**~~~Meanwhile~~~**

Yasu was just getting ready to sit and make himself comfortable for the wait when the girl he was carrying in his arms cried out. His eyes shot all the way open in less than time could measure. Mitzuki was still alive. The girl drew in a ragged breath, her eyelids fluttering open.

"Y-yasu?" It was a hoarse whisper and the man barely understood the girl. He didn't answer and in the silence the girl began closing her eyes. He panicked and tried to shake her awake. She screamed in agony. Yasu cringed violently.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Mitzuki!" he was shouting in desperation and then prepared to lower his voice, realizing it was way too loud, when Mitzuki said, "Everything's so quiet, Yasu-kun, so quiet. . . . I can't see you that well anymore. . . . and the pain isn't as awful. I'm pleasantly numb. I only regret that Akemi had to work so hard to keep me happy and, " she let out a sobbing sound, "and I let her down. I-I never. . .paid her back for-for a-anything," her tears weren't clear but red, red with the blood on her face. The poor man holding the sobbing girl he considered his daughter almost did his best to wipe away her tainted tears.

"She forgives you, I'm sure. She loved," he paused, disgusted that he'd used the past tense causing her eyes to widen and new tears to collect, "-loves you dearly. She won't hold anything against you, Mitzuki. I promise." The girl let the tears slip down her face.

"Cross your heart?"

"Cross my heart," he made an 'X' over his chest with one hand, relieved when she smiled. Her eyes closed slowly. Alarm made his chest tighten to the point of excruciating pain. "Mitzuki? Mitzuki?" He wasn't daring to shake her again. Her eyes partially opened and she seemed to be trying to locate me.

"I'm not going anywhere until my sister gets here. I promise," she moved her arm weakly to make a crossing motion over her heart. Yasu ground his teeth together and did his best not to cry. Men shouldn't cry, no matter what was happening. . . . . No matter who was dying in your arms.

He situated himself and Mitzuki against a large weeping cherry tree. He started to fall asleep to the rythm of the flames consuming Akemi's home when a dark shadow appeared against the red and orange of the fire. His eyes snapped open to a sight not unlike that of a demon leaving hell. Akemi had blood from head to toe and she was walking _through_ the flames. Her eyes were narrow slits hidden under a few loose hairs that had fallen into her face.

Yasu could barely breathe when she came close to him. If what she was feeling could be visualized, it would be black, chaotic fire, spreading for miles and miles out. Akemi's hollow expression didn't change until she noticed Mitzuki breathing. Her eyes lit up and, just for this moment, her old self broke free.

"Mitzuki! Thank god, you're okay," she gingerly took her younger sister into her arms, even though Mitzuki was almost as tall as herself. She knelt down onto the ground beside Yasu, her upper body resting on her heels. Mitzuki's eyes opened with effort and she tried desperately to see her sister. Tears filled her eyes.

"I'm not fine. I can't even see you, Akemi. . . . .I can't even see you. . . . . I guess that's okay, as long as I can speak," as she spoke Akemi's face got darker and darker, "I want nothing more than for you to know I am so grateful you tried so hard to protect me. I'd always thought," Mitzuki's voice choked on a sob. You couldn't see Akemi's face under her hair. She had her head down and her nails were digging into her dress. Mitzuki continued, "I-I'd always known that-that when I was stronger, I would pay you back for all you did for me. Akemi, if you hadn't been here, I wouldn't have lasted so long. I love you, onee-chan," she searched for her older sister's hand and finally let herself find peace when she found Akemi's hand.

Silence. Absolutely no sound. Not even the wind dared make the slightest rustle.

Then the first tear fell. . . .

Then another. . . . . .

"WHY?" Akemi screamed, slamming both fists into the ground. She errupted into terrible, heart-wrenching sobs, the ground dark with her tears. Yasu jumped, then moved a hand to comfort her. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" she slapped his hand away violently.

"Akemi. . . ." Yasu murmered.

"She was so little. . . .why? Why? I don't understand. . . . . . . . . . . I don't understand," she whispered.

Akemi had become obsessive about finding a way to save Mitzuki. She came to the quaint cabin Yasu and she had built talking about it. Yasu just pittied her deeply. She was thinking too much about Mitzuki. To the point of unhealth. Having her buried in the backyard probably wasn't helping. When he had suggested moving the grave, Akemi had almost killed him. She would have killed him if he weren't a vampire. Yasu was just getting incredibly sick of it when one day months later, Akemi came bursting through the door claiming she found the solution. He stared at her in shock.

"It's called the Ankh. I discovered it when I was passing that crazy fortune tellers hut. She called out to me, saying, 'The Ankh will bring back your poor sister,' At first I was _very_ skeptical, but then I saw it in action. 'Bring me something dead,' she said. So I did. I brought her a snake without it's head. It had long since stopped moving. I had watched, fascinated, as she put the thing in fire and burned the symbol onto the snake. It started to _move_, Yasu-kun. It arched up as if preparing to strike me. I had been delighted.

"Then she explained that it was different for people. You brandished them with the Ankh but they don't come back in their bodies. They come back into the bodies of unborn children, ones that hadn't the will to survive. Ones that look a lot like them. No one dies in this method. She says in the next life the Ankh will be were you marked them; a permanent scar. She won't remember me at first."

Yasu had stared at her. Knowing there was no arguing with her, he went to help dig up Mitzuki. Akemi put the Ankh's symbol on Mitzuki's neck.

**Akemi's POV**

I watched quietly as Zero and Mitzuki took this in. Zero looked awed. Mitzuki's face had gone from severe concentration to realization.

"Akemi?" Mitzuki had tears in her eyes. I looked up at her and, seeing the recognition, I burst into happy tears. That empty feeling, that coldness inside. . .shattered.

**Alright, my readers, I know it's short, but there will only be about two more chapters. I know how it's going to end now. After I finish up this story and another one, I will only post my stories after they are finished. As always, reviews are always nice to receive. Reviews are great. ;)**


	7. The End

**Hooray! I finally have the last chapter up. My computer crashed on me two days after my last post. I am so sorry you guys! That's why I'm ending this so quick, because I keep having something weird happen that prevents me from posting. Enjoy. Also, VK isn't mine. **

_**Warnings: Language **_

**Zero's POV**

I had barely seen Akemi in the last ten months. Ever since Yuuki became Mitzuki, I haven't occupied any of her free time. Yuuki was completely different as well. She didn't respond to Yuuki and she had broken up with her body's brother. Kaname had been spending a lot of time with Ruka lately.

The halls were empty and painfully free of trouble. I sometimes really wished trouble would happen so Akemi would come to help stop it. I was happy that she was happy, but it was really quiet without her. I missed her soft spoken ways or, when she was happy, her lively smiles and bouncy attitude. It physically hurt that I no longer held most of her attention.

I guess it made me a little bit on the irritable side, judging by the girl who I just made cringe. She was one of the really shy girls that reminded me nothing of Akemi; she'd smiled at me and I hadn't smiled back. I made most people uncomfortable with my silence. That was probably among one of the first things I'd noticed about Akemi- she was never uncomfortable around me. It was very refreshing.

"Zero," it was _her_ voice, and for one moment I was so ecstatically happy I didn't notice how sad it sounded, "I need to talk to you," Something was definitely wrong. Her face was stretched into a painfully false smile and despite her apparent 'happiness' she refused to meet my eyes.

"Fine," I spit out angrily. Akemi cringed and that was almost enough for me to apologize. I continued to glare at her in silence for a moment. It was too quiet and I couldn't place my finger on the source of the silence. I glanced to the side to see why it was so silent. My mouth fell open in shock.

A Night Class student was positioned a hundred yards away in every direction, making a circle that clearly told the Day Class to stay the hell out. They were all scowling at me, aside from Mitzuki who was just frowning. I made a sound of disbelief; it was like they thought I was going to hurt her. I got a sick feeling in my stomach as I wondered just how bad this must be.

When my eyes snapped back to Akemi her eyes filled with tears. My eyes went wide as I fumbled to comfort her. I tried to pat her on the back but that just didn't seem to be working. I had absolutely zero experience in this.

"What in the world is going on?" I finally asked after many failed attempts to make her stop crying. Slowly Akemi lifted her face to look at me. A steady stream of tears glided down her ivory face.

"I-it w-wasn't e-even this hard to t-tell M-M-Mitzuki," she choked out. When I looked down at her in horrified confusion she bit back a sob, "Zero, I-I. . . . . . . .I _can't_!" she screamed, no longer talking to me.

I couldn't breathe as I watched her run into the arms of Mitzuki and Ruka. I had waited nearly a year for her to talk to me, and this is the horror that comes from it. Akemi is in pain for reasons I don't get, the fact that I don't get it leaves me incredibly frustrated, and to top it all the entire Night Class suddenly hates me more than ever.

**Akemi's POV**

"I can't tell him, Ruka-chan. You just don't get it. I love him," I cry into my hands as Ruka puts her hand on my shoulder, sympathetic as ever. Ever since I told her of what I was going to do for them. All of them; all of the vampires.

"You know you don't have to. Some of the vampires really enjoy the immortal life."

"Yes, and others are so blood thirsty they can't tell friends and family from rats," I watched as Ruka's face fell.

"That is true," she whispered. There was a brief pause before she spoke again. "Are you going to tell him?"

"I won't if I can avoid it."

Ruka started to open her mouth when there was a knock at the door. Ruka looked at me apologetically. Her boyfriend had interrupted again. I gestured for her to go ahead. She smiled and when she opened the door Kaname greeted her with a passionate kiss. I cleared my throat loudly. Ruka's face had already crimsoned and Kaname was catching up quite quickly.

"My apologies, Akemi-sama."

"It's fine. I was just letting you know there was someone else in the room so you wouldn't do anything you wouldn't want me to see." Their faces reddened considerably.

"Err . . . Yes, well; I actually came to talk about what you were planning to do."

"Oh," my smile disappeared and I became more like the old Akemi; physically freezing the room with my sudden swing of mood, "And what about it?"

I watched with detachment as Kaname squirmed with discomfort. Ruka actually excused herself from the room. My chilling attitude probably made much worse by the fact I had been glowing with warmth just days before. Kaname took a deep breath, stood tall- even though he was already way taller than I- and turned to face me.

"Why does it have to be done this way?" he sounded more pained than I'd expected. I hadn't thought I'd endeared myself to him that much. "Couldn't you just hunt out the vampires and take back your blood, like you did with the Purebloods in the story?"

"In the 'story?' You mean my life? Well, the answer is no."

"But _why?_"

"The 'Purebloods' I did that to before had not fully mixed my blood with theirs. If I did that to a level E, they would die. Their DNA would be clinging too tightly to mine."

A long silence.

"Are you sure it can only be done that way?"

"No," and the utter look of disbelief and anger that crossed his face made me flinch.

"_WHAT?_ You mean to tell me that you're risking it all when there may be another way!" he yelled. I sat; looking down with a mix of pain, shame, and pity. Kaname surprised me by throwing the desk lamp at the wall beside me.

It was one of those moments where everything slowed down and you caught everything that happened with amazing clarity.

The lamp's soft shade gently grazed my cheek and the wind left over from the force of the throw tickled my neck. I felt my eyes slowly widen and look up from the spot on the carpet to the fury in Kaname's eyes. My mouth fell open just slightly. The sheer ferocity of the look in Kaname's eyes made it difficult to breathe.

A feeling started in my chest that I began to recognize as fear. I was afraid. I made a small, strangled sounding noise. I was too shocked to feel anything other than that.

"Do you have any idea how much torture Mitzuki is going through because of your decision? Not just her, but every single Night Class student," when he saw that I already knew this but that it wasn't going to change my mind, he continued in that dangerously angry voice, "If Zero were to find out it would surely _kill_ him."

My world turned gray. I shook my head in denial, and then forced a shaky laugh.

"S-stop being so overdramatic, Kaname," I said, trying my best to sound lighthearted but failing miserably. Kaname gave an exasperated sigh.

"Just think about it, Akemi-chan," with that he left.

As soon as he left the life seemed to drain out of me and I realized I was very, _very_, tired.

((((!)))))))))))))))))

"Akemi-san, do you mind if I walk you to class?" shouted a rather timid boy I recognized as being in my P.E. class. Although, he only seemed to be timid around me.

"Sure, Hitoshi-kun, the company would be wonderful," I told him brightly. I had certain things I valued most in myself, and among them was my ability to act. My smile immediately made him comfortable and he took his spot beside me.

"Akemi-san, those books look too heavy for you, would you like me to carry them?"

I eyed his equally large pile of books with a small grin.

"That's fine. I appreciate the gesture but your pile is as big, if not larger, than mine."

Hitoshi glanced down at his books and blushed slightly. It was kind of cute. Unfortunately for him, I looked at him like an adult looks at a child.

"It is perfectly fine, Akemi-san, I'm a lot stronger than you," he told me in a patronizing tone. Well, it more than likely wasn't really all that condescending; just my over active imagination.

"I guess if you're sure," I told him in my most innocent voice, causing his knees to visibly shake. I smiled and immediately took advantage of his weakness to drop the full force of the books on him.

((((!)))))))))))))))))

As to be expected, the guy had fallen. Unexpectedly, the chairman asked me to report to his office because of this.

I kept telling myself that I was just going to get a slap on the wrist for being cruel, but I had a terrible feeling in my stomach that there was something. . . . off. My palms were sweating and my movements were jerky. By the time I was close enough to twist the knob, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I could feel that I was getting ready to run, but just when I was taking a shaky step in the other direction, the door opened.

"Akemi-sama," the chairman stated curtly.

My hopes fell right down to the floor. He knew. You could see it in his eyes. He had found out somehow, and now the ex-vampire hunter must be getting ready to kill me.

"How long have you known?" I inquired quietly.

"About which part? How you got that admission slip, or about how you're the original vampire?"

I blinked. How in the world did he find out about the first part? That part wasn't even guessable.

"Both. Start with the first, if you would. I can probably guess the second one."

"I noticed about a week after you arrived that my files had been looked through. You bent a page when looking through them; amateur mistake. I noticed that you'd taken Sayori-san's old admission slip. I suppose you don't often snoop through people's things."

"No, I don't. You do have something that was left out. I grabbed Yori-chan's slip by accident. What I was after were- nevermind."

"What were you after, if not the slip?" the chairman asked with obvious interest.

"I was after . . .," I paused, unsure whether or not to continue. Then I thought: why hide it anymore? "I was after my files."

"Your files? But there were no files for Akemi. None at all! I checked when you got here and checked and checked again after you left," he was almost shouting in frustration; surprisingly not directed at me.

I sighed. Admitting this was going to suck.

"My name wasn't under Akemi," I watched as the chairman's eyes grew, "It was put under the name of Maria Kurenai."

The chairman's knees collapsed and he fell into his seat. Obviously all the insaneness was too much for him. I had one hell of a twisted life.

"Maria Kurenai? As in Shizuka Hio's container?"

"Yes. It's rather complicated. I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, and one that made the top ten was where I decided to disguise myself as a nonexistent person named Shizuka Hio. I had grown so sick of the thought of the _thing_ that killed Mitzuki was still living, that I convinced myself I was a different person. I'd perfected the art of metamorphosis shortly after Mitzuki's death because I'd gotten so disgusted with my own face."

That is how I started telling the story of the thing that now haunts me the most. It was second only to Mitzuki.

**Cross Kaien's POV**

"From there it went downhill. I had absolutely no repercussions for what I was doing. My conscience was unharmed because that whole time it wasn't _me _who was doing all those horrible things; it was Shizuka. I fell in love with a human-turned-vampire as the story goes, and it was Yasu who killed him," she flinched slightly, but showed no other signs of emotion.

"I'm sorry but I am going to have to stop you. Why do you cringe and yet have your face set as if it's nothing?" I couldn't help but ask. Her eyes focused on me and I barely concealed a shiver.

"I suppose I'm sorry for not sobbing over every single thing that bothers me. If I did that, I would always be soaked with tears," she said with a slight amount of venom. It probably would have been much worse if she weren't in an autopilot-like state.

"I apologize. If you would continue," at first she seemed unwilling to, but slowly she nodded her head.

"He killed him out of jealousy. Yasu had believed for quite some time that I was in love with him. After he killed the man that I had no doubt of loving, I made him understand how I felt," the threatening edge to her voice was enough to give anyone nightmares, "After that I made a monumental mistake. A certain family of Hunters were the people I was going to take my rage out on; convinced they, too, were to blame. Within seconds of opening the door I had killed the mother and the father. I was going to leave when I heard children in the other room."

She gripped onto the wood of the desk so tightly the wood seemed to almost crack. Her voice shook as she drew in a deep breath.

"They were twins. Two people who looked _exactly _like_ him!_ I was so damn hurt and so fucking angry that I reached out to crush the first one I grabbed hold of! Then I felt so terrible for doing it, I gave that twin some of my blood and bit the other one; so I'd always know where to find him. I took the one that I didn't bite with me."

She couldn't be talking about who I think she is; could she?

"I didn't snap out of it until I took a shot of anti-vampire bullet and a bite from Kaname-kun. Kaname-kun didn't really get any of my blood, he only believed he did. As for that little girl I possessed, she volunteered in exchange for eternal life."

I couldn't speak. I wanted to. I wanted to shake her and make her tell me she was lying. The silence stretched on until you could hear strangled, gasping breaths coming from the corner.

Dear God.

**Akemi's POV**

Oh shit. Please tell me he wasn't listening the entire time! But he was. Of course he was. His fingers knotted in his silver hair and his eyes were wide with pain and disbelief.

"Zero, it's . . . ," what? It's not what he thinks? It sure as hell is, "I'm so sorry," I had my hand stretched towards him, as if I were going to comfort him.

I died a little inside when he cringed.

"You _monster_," I'd never heard Zero so angry. And he was angry at me. I couldn't help the tears that formed in my eyes. I saw a hint of indecision in Zero's eyes and for a second I believed that was the worst of it.

"Zero-kun, calm down," the chairman tried to reason, but was silenced by a vicious glare from Zero.

"I think it's best you get out, Kaien-san. I need to talk with Zero-san," I told him in my calmest voice. Detachment was the best policy when dealing with discomfort. I held my breath until the chairman decided leaving was a good idea.

With a big huff I turned to face Zero. He was looking at me. It would have been much better if he hadn't been. The betrayal, the doubt, the distrust, the hatred. And something else that didn't fit right with the other emotions. I didn't believe it when I saw it, so it didn't even really register.

"I-"

"I can't believe you did that, Akemi. I almost don't," he said coolly, making me blink a couple of times, "But I know that you did. It's always been there. In your smile, in the way you walked, in everything there was guilt. I assumed it was because of Mitzuki. I was always confused when you seemed happier around other people," he sounded calm and looked serious.

"Zero, what are you getting at?" I asked barely above whisper; tears still clinging desperately to my lower lid.

"I love you. I love you to the point where I _forgave_ you the moment I heard it. That's sick," he paused and tried to cover up a shaky breath, "I've decided that I'm going to do everything I can to stop loving you."

There was a whole three minutes of silence before I could speak.

"B-but there are our prefect duties."

"If you don't want to quit it wouldn't be too much trouble for me to," Zero told me in his halcyon voice.

I hated crying. It was weakness and it revealed far too much but at that moment I didn't care. I clenched and unclenched my fists as Zero got up to leave. When I heard the knob turn I broke down.

"Zero," my voice cracked and the pain in my voice was tangible. I finally decided on keeping my fists clenched, "I-I k-know I'm not perfect. As a matter of fact I'm the most fucked up person alive on the inside. Thank God I'm pretty," a shaky, horrified laugh, "Just please, please," I nearly suffocated before getting out the last words, leaving them breathy, "Don't leave me."

My hair fell over my face and some strands caught on my tears. The silence was deafening agony.

"Goodbye, Akemi-chan," Zero tucked a loose strand behind my ear and was gone before I had decided to look up.

**Two Weeks Later**

**Ruka's POV**

Something was wrong. Very, very, inconceivably wrong.

I hadn't heard from Akemi for a couple of weeks now. Mitzuki hasn't even seen her. I've banged down the doors of everyone who had spoken to her on that day she disappeared; everyone except Zero.

Pissed as I was, I all but beat down Zero's door. A minute later a sleepy and shirtless Zero answered the door. Sleepy, huh? I was hell bent on waking the bastard up. I was sure this was his fault and with that thought I hit him with all the pent up rage I've had for two weeks now.

"Hello to you as well, Ruka-san," he griped, theatrically rubbing his jaw. I took it as if he were taunting me and decided to hit him again. "Stop," he said, catching my hand before it could touch his face, "I really don't need more than one good evening from you. Now, what are you so worked up about that has you punching half conscious people?"

"You did it, didn't you? You're the reason she's gone!" I screamed.

"Who's gone?" his voice was tranquil but his face had gone as pale as the moon.

"You know who. _What_. _Did_. _You_. _Do?"_

I knew the exact point at which Zero had withdrawn from the conversation.

"I-I have to go," with that he unceremoniously slammed the door in my face.

When we find Akemi he is going to pay for that. I smiled as I left knowing he was on board.

**Mitzuki's POV**

It was cold out. Record cold, actually. It was raining, dark, oppressive, and the combination made it nearly impossible to see; to move.

I had known from the beginning where Akemi would go. It's the hardest place in the world for a vampire to get to and was completely impossible for humans. The snow and rain mixture coupled with the below freezing temperature, my drenched outfit, howling wind, and high altitude was quickly draining my energy. But falling here meant death every single time. This mountain was important to us; Akemi and I. My real body had been buried here.

I felt the burning sensations of frostbite start to change into the bliss of being numb. Not good. Being numb was the start of death, and the frostbite feeling was all the way up to my head. I started moving faster, ignoring the dull pain when my right hand raked over a dead thorn bush. I was almost there, I just have to keep pushing myself and I'll be there in twenty minutes if all goes well. The question is can I survive those minutes?

((((!)))))))))))))))))

Thirty minutes and I couldn't take it anymore. Maybe death wouldn't be so bad. I could barely call what I was doing stumbling now. I started looking for a spot that I would like to die in when I saw it: the caves near the top of the mountain. I used the last of my strength to get to the threshold as quickly as possoble before passing out.

The last thing I remember thinking was, "A fire, thank God," before everything went black.

((((!)))))))))))))))))

"Mitzuki, are you alright?"

I knew that voice. Where from? 'Can't remember, but I'll worry about it later.

"Shit. Mitzuki! Damn it, don't you dare die on me!"

Ugh, more screaming. Why can't I just be left in peace and enjoy the warmth?

"You die on me and I'll make you regret it when I find you again!"

Something salty, and wet. . . tears? I need to find my eyes. . . Aha! I blinked against the orangey- blackness of a cave; _the _cave.

"Oh, thank God," Akemi cried as she flung her arms around me.

"Akemi?" My voice was hoarse, but working. She pulled back from the hug and gave me a questioning look.

And I hit her.

**Akemi's POV**

"How dare you, Akemi? How dare you think of leaving me alone? You can't die, you can't die!" Mitzuki screamed as she hit me over and over. I couldn't move I was so shocked. I didn't _want_ to move. She needed this, and I deserved it.

"You brought me back for WHAT? Absolute happiness for a month or so just so you can go DIE? NO, you can't do it? I won't let you! I don't care how noble or good it is! I'm just so selfish that I'll let Vampires exist so you can live! Damn it, Akemi. . . Damn you," Mitzuki screamed, finally ceasing her punches. My face was a little sore but that was fine. My little sister ultimately lay sobbing into my shoulder.

A long pause filled with hiccups and shaky breaths.

"To save them, she must die. Mitzuki, do you remember that old- now _ancient- _prophecy? I went back to home or, what once was home, to read over that again. It was talking about the vampires."

Mitzuki looked up at me in defiance and curiosity.

"How do you know?"

"The walls started to bleed. . ."

". . . oh. . ."

"Yeah."

Another silence; comfortable this time.

"Are you going to come back? Everyone's worried."

"In the morning."

((((!)))))))))))))))))

I had a feeling that Ruka was going to hit me when I got back. I was almost sure of it. Mitzuki had been silent the whole time. I knew why. Tomorrow night. I was planning on worrying later. Now I had things to take care of.

The leaves were falling again. Beautiful oranges, yellows, and tons of the ever appropriate reds. I had been here a whole year. I came in the fall and will be making my grand exit tomorrow. The school's lovely this time of year. Grand oak trees; it was all just so beautiful . . .

**Mitzuki's POV**

No matter what Akemi says, I know she's terrified. You could see it in the tears Akemi's yet to notice pouring down her cheeks. It was too perfect out for her last day. A normal day would have been merciful. A normal day would've-

"Mitzuki?" Akemi broke my concentration.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

**Zero's POV**

She's gone. Gone for three weeks now; and I thought life was hell before, when I was trying to ignore her. It had been unbearable, but through some miracle I managed to not even look at her. And it turns out I didn't notice her because she wasn't there! I banged my hand against my wall as hard as I could.

How could I be so stupid? I thought I was being so-I don't know; smart maybe? Dramatic? Cool?- when I told her I was going to stop loving her. I wasn't even angry! Not really; I just wanted her to feel something for me. I wanted her to miss me to the point of pain, and I was paying for it.

Akemi left; took every single thing that proved her existence aside from the memories of people. God, I feel so stupid. If I weren't such a conceited ass hole she would still be here, telling me about what had the Night Class angry. I huffed out angrily and went to take a shower.

I put the water on as hot as it would go so that the steam would fill the room and I wouldn't have to face my reflection. The scalding water eased my mind enough for me to actually bathe. Ruka would be here in thirty minutes so we could search for Akemi some place we hadn't turned upside down. Mitzuki never showed up to look; probably too upset to move. I was toweling off when there was a knock at the door. I wrapped the towel around myself and went to go tell Ruka to hold her damn horses.

"I'll be out in a second, Ruka," I said as I opened the door. As I looked up I felt all the breath rush out of me. She was back. A surge of chokingly thick emotion welled up in my throat. "Akemi."

"You were obviously expecting someone else," she briefly glared at me, not caring to note my near nudity. For some reason I was kind of offended. "So I take it Ruka-chan isn't so into Kaname-kun anymore?" Realizing what she meant I went red.

"It's not like that, Akemi," I began but was ruthlessly cut off by her.

"Of course it is! Why else would you answer the door completely undressed?"

My whole face was burning with embarrassment.

I have a towel on," I mumbled, head down. Unexpectedly, I was pulled into a tight hug.

"I've been here for twenty minutes reassuring everyone I was okay. The whole time I was trying to get to you. I stopped by Ruka's. She explained everything; that was just me getting back at you. How dare you be such a dick to a person so completely in love with you?"

Love. She said the word. With no loopholes in sight. She said she was in love with me; completely in love with me. I barely noticed Akemi shut the door behind her as she went to sit on my bed. The room was lightened barely by the evening pouring out the top of the dark curtains. I shifted uncomfortably. "I'd better get dressed," I stated, almost braving to wish she would stop me. Wishing for it so much I believed what I heard next was a fantasy.

"Why don't you just come here and kiss me for a while, Zero-kun"

**Akemi's POV**

Waking up next to Zero was the best feeling. Warmth filled my chest but immediately turned to ice. Today was the Blood Moon, appropriately associated with self sacrifice.

Today, I will be playing the part of the sleazy jerk that leaves the person they just slept with. Quietly, I got up and got dressed. Got my shirt, skirt, prefect band; check, check, and check. As I walked towards the door I turned to look at Zero. Tears welled in my eyes. I'm never going to see him again. My vision blurred as I refused to let the first tear fall, because if I started, I wouldn't be able to stop. Silently, I shut the door.

And so began my painfully short day. I spoke with everyone I knew in the Day Class, and every conversation sounded like a goodbye. When I was done, it was six in the evening. Off to the Night Class. The leaves were supposed to be the highlight of my walk, but they weren't. All of them-and I mean _all of them_- where red. From the color of old blood to the bright mockery of new blood. It was . . . _disturbing_. I looked up to see the Night Class gate coming up all too soon. Forcing myself to move forward, I tried to concentrate on lighter subjects. Mitzuki had a new boyfriend. He was that Night Class boy, Akatsuki? The one they called Wild. I wasn't sure I liked the sound of that. God, if he even _thinks _about hurting her- Nevermind, if I thought about that, then I'd start thinking about how I couldn't do anything about it.

"Akemi-san," a young girl's voice rang out sternly. I felt one of my old smiles slowly spread across my face. Who was this person to try and take authority over me?

"Yes?" I replied tonelessly, feeling the familiar mask of untamed evil cover my face. It was so sickening to put that mask back on that I stopped. I stopped right in the middle of scaring the hell out of some person I hadn't even looked at yet. I felt like I was going to vomit. I took a deep breath as I realized I was _still_ more than a little messed up. I was going to die emotionally damaged. Well, I guess that's how most people die.

"Akemi," the voice rang out with more authority. I turned in slightly paled irritation. Oh.

"Yori-chan?" What the hell was up with her?

"We need to talk," she still had that weird stern tone. I looked at her morosely.

"It better be quick. I don't have much time," I told her lifelessly. A humorless smile forced it's way to my face.

I bit back shock as Yori started fiercely shaking her head. "No, Akemi! If you think for one second you're going to become a vampire to make your life better you're dead wrong!"

A twisted laugh slipped from my throat. I faced her fully and said darkly, "My life's always been hell." Even though I knew she knew about vampires from Mitzuki, I didn't know Mitzuki had left out the part that I wasn't human. It was almost funny how she thought I _wanted _this fucked up life.

"But- But becoming a v-vampire won't help anything. And if you try it, you'll die," she said shakily. I looked at her quizzically.

"And why is that?"

"I put enough anti-vampire venom in your drink a while back to last the rest of your human life," Yori told me even more shakily than last time. I felt as the mixture of betrayal and hatred began to shape my face as she spoke.

"You did what," I whispered in the most eerily sinister voice I'd heard since my father's gory death. Yori took an unsteady step back.

"I-I-It w-was f-for the b-best," she stuttered.

I smiled the most disturbing and bone-chilling smile I possessed. Then I turned into a shadow. It was like being there and then disappearing in thick black flame-like mist; then no one could see you. It was a strange feeling; first you're there and solid, and the next thing you know you're as insubstantial as fog. I rematerialized behind Yori.

"Yori-chan, I _am_ a vampire," I sneered, "And you almost killed me. If I were a lesser vampire I would've been dead within seconds. I lived because I am what nobility fears. What everyone fears. I am the_ first_. I can barely believe it was you who made me lose a _week_ of my precious time," I went on in quiet fury.

**Yori's POV**

A vampire? No, no, no- God, I hadn't done her any good at all! I'd thought she hung out with the vampires all the time because she was a vampire groupie. Amongst all the terrible feelings of remorse I still felt that undeniable sense of absolute terror. She couldn't be serious about being the first, though, that was obvious. The first vampire is _always_ dead; in every single book and movie, the first one died miserably during their early years.

"If only I'd died. I would have died a little less painfully," said a voice that was frozen in time.

"I-I am so s-s-sorry, Akemi-san. I h-had no idea," I stuttered uncontrollably. A slow huff came from Akemi, and I watched as the fury in her face receded into something like defeat. Her face was bleak and exhausted, and even that small huff seemed to carry a hopelessness about it.

"It's alright, Yori-san. You have no idea what a favor you would have done me if I'd died. I wouldn't have to go through all these goodbyes," she smiled wistfully.

"Goodbyes?" I was very confused.

"Yeah; goodbyes. I'm going to die tonight when I save the vampires. Give back the heartbeats I've stolen in return for my own, I guess," she went on. No, not Akemi, not her. Before I knew what was happening Akemi was hugging me tightly. "You were always so good to me," she said, her hug warm and nice; if a little sad, "I was so _sure_ you were one of the good ones," and as suddenly as the warmth had came, so did the pain. My eyes widened to the point of it physically hurting. Akemi was . . . biting me. I felt the life being sucked from me and there were black patches in my vision now. Suddenly, even the spots where Akemi's hands had been were now cold, and I was falling. "I'd been _so_ sure."

I fell with a thud. Akemi was standing there and I was losing consciousness.

"Don't consider it revenge. Consider it as being fair. I've drained you to where you have a fifty-fifty chance of survival. . . If someone finds you in time. So I'm leaving you like you left me. Semi-conscious with the big 'if' on my mind. Goodbye, Yori-chan, I really hope you make it."

Those were the last words I heard before the darkness consumed me.

**Akemi's POV**

It took a good three minutes before tears were pouring from the eyes of everyone in the Night Class. Everyone was crying without shame. It was difficult to see all those very strong men cry silently as I said my goodbyes. Ruka was sobbing, as was Rima. They were the only two there making a sound. It was as quiet as an actual funeral. I went to stand before Kaname and, one by one, that's how the goodbyes started, and it finally sunk in that this was real. I was going to die.

"You know you don't have to do this, right?" Kaname asked as I got to him.

"Yes, I know." I nodded solemnly.

"Then I wish you the best of luck."

Did I imagine the shakiness of his hands as he bowed to me? Like a student bowing to his sensei. I smiled and hugged him when he rose to his full height. I knew Ruka wouldn't mind. Kaname had sadness in his eyes that reminded me of Zero. I nearly cringed but stopped myself as I realized that was one goodbye I wouldn't have to face.

Next was Akatsuki; my sister's new boyfriend. I put on a menacing face and stared at him. He didn't flinch; good.

"If you let anything happen to Mitzuki and there will be hell to pay, I swear it."

"I won't. I'm sure with the whole Night Class watching after her my job won't be quite so difficult."

I cracked a smile. He seemed like a good guy. Next was Aidou. I turned to face him fully. He had his head turned to the side. I stared at him for a minute; thinking. Suddenly, Aidou shivered.

"Would you quit that, it's kind of creepy," he visibly shook himself. I smiled warmly and hugged Aidou. He hugged me back and rested his head against mine. "I'm sorry," Aidou said. I jerked backwards and Aidou head fell forward in a comical fashion.

"Did you just apologize?" I was floored. Did Aidou really just apologize? I looked around to see if anyone else had heard it and, sure enough, everyone was staring in disbelief. Aidou was scratching the back of his head kind of uncomfortably.

"Right, right. But believe it or not guys I do know when I should apologize. And I've said sorry before!" He sounded slightly irritated at the end.

"Yeah, but you've never meant it," I heard Rima say. I turned to smile at her. "Goodbye," she said easily, "Thank you so much. I wouldn't have the strength to do what you're doing," she looked down miserably, "It's a shame I didn't get to know you better."

"Goodbye, Rima," I tried to smile but it faltered. Rima gave me a tiny smile in return. Next was Ruka.

"Goodb-"I started but was stopped by Ruka.

"Oh, no, you don't. I will not be hearing those words again from you. You've been forced to say it more than you should on your last day. Be happy," Ruka said as tears streamed steadily from her eyes. I was pulled into a squeeze-the-life-out-of-you hug.

"Farewell, Ruka," I said. It wasn't goodbye but a small sobbing sound came from the girl holding me.

I turned to Ichijou then.

"I guess this can count as you breaking up with me. . ."

"Yeah," to be honest I'd kind of forgotten we were dating. I still hugged him and said my goodbyes.

Then came Shiki. I didn't really know Shiki but I still felt the need to say goodbye.

"Farewell, Shiki," I felt my eyes widen as he pulled out a gun.

"I'm sorry, but you aren't going anywhere. This is a tranquilizer gun. Enough to put you to sleep for a couple of days," he told the still unmoving version of me.

"Why?" I wondered aloud.

"You're causing people I love a lot of pain over this," he told me self-righteously. I stared up at him in a kind of cloudy understanding; then, in one fluid motion I had the gun in my hands. I tossed it about a foot or so behind me.

"I'm doing this for the people I love, too." I told him quietly.

"Oh, really?" he sneered, "When was the last time you saw Mitzuki, Ichijou, Ruka, or anyone who _knows_ happy?" He had a point, "I bet it's been since you told them. A good couple weeks of absolute misery. I bet they haven't slept well since hearing about-"

"Shut up," I told him quietly.

"What? Does it bother you that I'm right? That this is absolutely pointless?"

"No. That isn't it. You just don't get it."

"Then, please, explain," he told me in an almost condescending manner.

"I can't let all those people die with a clean conscious."

"What people?" Shiki said angrily.

"All the people that were turned into those mindless, leeching, level Es!" I screamed. Calmly Shiki placed a hand on my shoulder.

"And the real reason?"

"Fine! I'm doing it for me. I deserve this! I'm finally happy and that's when the chance to redeem myself arises. I deserve death, and I deserve a chance to make up for all the things I've done in my past. Maybe if I do this I won't go to hell after all. The truth is that I don't give a shit about all those level Es, I just can't justify being happy with all the horrid suffering I've created. And I've grown so used to agony that it's easier to deal with. I was planning to go out looking like a hero, but I'm not. I'M NOT!" I shouted.

It was silent.

"You're still a hero," someone whispered. It was Rima. "Don't you see? You just admitted to being, finally, happy and you're giving it up to undo everything bad you've done, no matter what the reason you're doing it. You can't call it selfish if you were never telling the truth about why you're doing it."

As soon as she said that the tears wouldn't be restrained any longer.

"I don't want to die. I don't want the humans to die. I don't want the lower vampires to lose their minds to thirst. I _need_ to fix this. No matter what the cost. We took this world from the humans ten thousand years ago, and it's time we give it back."

**AN: Remember VK takes place over ten thousand years in the future. Yeah, look it up. You can continue with the story now, sorry for the interruption.**

All the vampires looked shocked.

"Adieu. I hope you'll enjoy your new lives."

**Zero's POV**

Akemi had been gone when I'd woken up and no one can find her. It's always 'you just missed her' or 'I haven't seen her since this morning, she seemed upset.' Now I'm heading towards the Night Class to where she was said to be.

That's when I saw the body tossed carelessly on the side of the gate. It was dark out so she was difficult to see. I panicked as I thought of Akemi and ran to her. In horror I saw a lifeless Sayori with blood coming from her mouth and . . . and her neck.

"Zero," It was barely audible. God, she was still alive. I picked her up and ran her into the Night Class hospital. They were humans there, and they could take care of Yori while I confronted the Night Class. I don't get it. Why would they attack Yori when she had been _outside_ their gate during the _day_?

In my anger I had scared some on the nurses but they quickly assisted the girl. I made sure she was being helped before I left her.

((((!)))))))))))))))))

"Who did it?"

"Did what?" Ichijou said; looking otherwise distracted.

"Nearly kill Sayori-san. Who did it?" They all looked genuinely confused and shocked. The sincerity in their surprise caught me off guard.

"Someone killed her?" Aidou looked a little sick. I'd had no idea he cared at all for Sayori-san.

"No," I said, thinking now, "She's almost dead. She's in the hospital now."

Aidou grabbed a grey jacket and left. He had a kind of laid back clothing choice when he wasn't wearing a uniform. It didn't seem to fit him at all so it was a real attention diverter.

"Have you guys seen Akemi?" At the mention of her name the remaining vampires looked guilty. Wait. . . I'd seen that look; when Akemi had been getting ready to tell me something and the Night Class had looked protective and . . . guilty.

I turned to glare at Kaname.

"What the hell is going on?"

"What are you talking about, Zero?" Kaname was definitely lying. With certain people it's just easy to tell. For example, Kaname made his voice threatening, trying to get you to shut up.

"I'm talking about Akemi. You all have faces that have so much empathy it's revolting. What is going on with Akemi?"

Kaname sighed.

"I'll tell you but you better damn well fix it. Guilt her out of doing this."

I was confused but I nodded.

"Akemi has known for a month she is going to die," he paused as he saw my face, "But she's dying by choice."

"What?" the icy black hate in my voice had Kaname looking slightly uncomfortable.

"In her death the vampire race will fall. I will be as human as any of the average Day Class. All the level Es will be human again. Every vampire will become human."

"No! I don't care if vampires exist. Akemi _cannot_ die. When is she planning on doing this?"

"In two hours; midnight."

I couldn't breathe and for the first time since my parent's death I felt like I was helpless and painfully alone.

"Tonight?" it came out choked. Kaname nodded in defeat. "We need to find her, _now_."

"But, Zero, no one knows where she is."

"I do," said a voice near the top of the stairs. There stood Mitzuki, with a big bruise on her chin.

**Mitzuki's POV**

Akemi was already preparing for the ceremony when I'd realized I couldn't let her leave.

"Akemi," I'd said, "You can't go. I won't let you."

Akemi had looked up at me and, with the most cheerless expression in the world, said, "Try and stop me."

So I tried, and in return Akemi landed a hit on my jaw sending me flying twenty feet back.

As soon as I got up I ran to get help from people who would want to stop her; Zero being a key point. I had been so glad that this had already been explained to Zero. And now we were here; every Night Class student was running to make it to Akemi in time.

I was leading, with Zero on my right and when we finally burst through that clearing, Akemi was already at the altar of the old abandoned temple.

"Quick, Zero I need you to charge forward and get her attention, and Kaname and Shiki can catch her from right or left. The rest of you need to help me create the biggest amount of hell possible on earth."

A chorus of 'right's and 'you got it's. Zero ran forward as fast as he could, trying to get to Akemi, and everyone else was just staring.

"Everyone, it isn't going to work if we don't go _now_!" that is about the time that Shiki and Kaname ran in opposite directions to the sides of the temple and the vampires used their powers to create rains of fire, ice, rock and every other type of chaos imaginable. God, I hope this works.

**Zero's POV**

Akemi was standing in front of the altar, whispering words I either couldn't catch or couldn't understand. She turned back when I accidently shuffled my feet right into some loud rocks. The horror on her face was so strong it hurt.

"You didn't think you could keep me out of this, did you?" I sounded tired. I even _sounded_ like I'd had my very life sucked from me. She wanted to _die_ to save the innocent. It surprised me how _good_ she really was. It was sad how much she wanted to hate herself.

"I'd hoped," she whispered, tears gliding down her cheeks. She brought up her sleeves to wipe her eyes. That's when I'd noticed what she was wearing. The dress was white and loose, with lace sleeves and she looked like an angel. And now I was absolutely sure she shouldn't die.

"I won't let you do this," I told her without doubt.

"You can't stop me. No one can. Tell Mitzuki I love her and I'm sorry for hitting her. Tell Yori-san I'm sorry. She betrayed me when she'd poisoned me so it was just to let her know what I went through. Tell Aidou I'm sorry, tell Kaname, tell everyone who cares," and with crystal tears she turned to face the altar.

My mind was in such a shock I couldn't think. Akemi had never tried to kill herself. That means . . .

Akemi doesn't want to die.

A pain sliced into my chest so sharp I nearly fell over. A faintly glowing white light encompassed the entire temple and it was moving me, pushing me, away from Akemi.

"NO!" I started pounding my fists against the shield that was keeping Akemi from me. "Mitzuki, I need backup!"

Everything froze. A light so sharp and blinding I couldn't look into it had covered the temple. It burned my eyes but I strained to see into the white enfolding the temple. I couldn't see anything. In an ultimate cliché it started raining. With a sick feeling I took in the color of the rain . . . and the smell. It was Akemi's blood. In revulsion I watched as her blood dropped onto my skin and I felt tears fight their way to the surface.

"NO!" I screamed. Kicking and punching the shield until my knuckles were bloody.

Behind me Mitzuki fell to her knees.

"We lost. We-we-we can't lose. If we lost that means Akemi is . . ." Mitzuki burst into sobs and a couple other people fell to their knees. I didn't. I stood for hours hitting that damned shield. I noticed that as the shield receded so did my vampire instincts. My want for blood had started disappearing hours ago. As the sun was coming up the shield finally started to waver, shimmer then disappear.

Beaten, I turned towards the vampires. They were staring in wonder up at the sun.

"It doesn't burn," Shiki thought aloud. I glared at him.

Mechanically I turned to them.

"Shiki, Kaname, Ichijou, Aidou, Kain, you're coming with me to check out all the normal vampire dives. Yeah, that means we're going to the blood slums. We need to check if the level Es are still . . . insane," I said with a calm that really didn't exist. They nodded and stood, helping the girls up. "Mitzuki, you, Ruka, and Rima can go back to the dorms," I looked at Mitzuki sympathetically. Her eyes were glassy like a person's eyes on drugs.

"No," she whispered, "I'm going with you guys."

I nodded. This was going to be hell. . .

((((!)))))))))))))))))

"Headmaster, we've searched everywhere and there are no more vampires. We've heard accounts of 'blood rain' from all over the world. Face it, there's no need for separate classes anymore," I was explaining this to Cross for the third time and he was still so shocked.

"You mean that Akemi-sama did this? The girl seems- seemed- so self-centered," he stated. I clenched my hands into fists.

"Akemi wasn't like that," I whispered. Cross regarded me curiously.

"This is huge, Zero. It's changed the world and only half the people on earth know it. Akemi-sama was quite extraordinary; giving up everything for other people."

"Yeah, she was. . ."

**Ruka's POV**

The Night Class was stuck switching out blood tablets for actual food all day today. Shopping was miserable because Aidou wanted to try every food out there and no one else had an appetite after what had happened yesterday. Everyone's sleeping schedule was insane. I'd stayed up for eighteen hours and for the first time ever I had bags under my eyes.

No one felt like speaking and Mitzuki hadn't gotten out of her bed since coming back from level E patrol yesterday. She was happy, as happy as she could be in this situation that all the people who were level Es were now living happy lives. They were happy . . . because of Akemi's sacrifice. Mitzuki's depression was understandable. If I could afford to be so miserable and despondent I absolutely would be. Instead, most of us were mourning in silence.

"Ruka-san! Ruka, we should get some canned peppers!" Aidou was shouting down the aisle. He had been running up and down the lanes 'sampling' certain foods, shouting to us when he found one he liked. I was in charge of the money because . . . well, God only knows why. Everyone else was pretending they didn't know Aidou. It was understandable.

"Fine, Aidou, go ahead and get whatever you want. It's on the Headmaster's card."

((((!)))))))))))))))))

The large Moon Dorm doors opened widely to the now pleasant sun. It was Zero. He was taking it as bad as Mitzuki, but in a different way. He acted like everything was normal, that nothing at all had changed since yesterday. He acted like unpacking groceries into a new fridge was the most common occurrence in the Night Class. Silence would have been okay, it would have been a sign of grief, but these people went on making small talk and pretended that they were having fun. Finally I couldn't take it.

"Stop it!" I yelled; throwing one of the new plates at the wall. "Do you have no respect for Akemi? She _DIED_ to save people she didn't even know! And you ass holes are acting like she never mattered to you! You guys are just as bad as-," I felt a sharp sting on my left cheek. It didn't hurt but it was definitely a shock.

"Shut up, Ruka. We're all suffering; we just don't want to have a huge group cry. Sorry we aren't acting as fucking miserable as you think we should be," Zero half turned before everyone in the room froze.

"Oh, my God."

**Zero's POV**

"Get Mitzuki," I called back to Ruka who nodded even though we'd just fought.

I didn't have words for how happy I was then. Absolute joy didn't come close.

"Hi, Zero-kun," Akemi said.

**Yay! The end! But yeah, you're probably like, "But they said she was gonna die!" Well, she gets to die after a long life of being a human. Review please. Hope you enjoyed it.**


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